It's a Happy Ending For Everyone
by Linda J
Summary: 10 years has past since the enchantment was lifted and there's nothing Belle and Prince Adam's 2 children love more than to hear the story how everyone in the castle was made human again. Everyone was made human again, right? Hmmm…
1. ch1

And It's a Happy Ending For Everyone

rated: G

by Linda J.

Disney owns all characters in the Beaty and the Beast franchise. Any original characters are mine, but written for pure self satisfaction, not monetary profit.

FEEDBACK AND REVIEWS ARE ALWAYS WELCOME

10 years has past since the enchantment was lifted and there's nothing Belle and Prince Adam's 2 children love more than to hear the story how everyone in the castle was made human again. Everyone was made human again, right? Hmmm…

CH1

"I wonder whose turn is it to tell the story, tonight?" Mrs. Potts eagerly asked as everyone interested in "story time" gathered around in the living room. Just then, two young children, a girl and a boy ran past her, racing to be first to get a kiss from their mother Belle. She was now in her late twenties, and looking as lovely as ever. Prince Adam, now just past thirty-one stood close by, smiling proudly and content with his kingdom; his dear friend Lumiere ever beside him. Their two children Denise and Adam II, or AJ loved story time more than any other time of day; and their favorite story to hear was of course the one of their own mother and father. They never grew tired of it. In the day time, they were satisfied to listen to the new stories their mother would read to them, or find entertainment from the many, many tall tales they heard from Lumiere and Cogsworth not to mention the occasional tidbits of gossip they'd catch from the maid servants and others about in the castle, but this time every evening, they simple would not go to sleep unless they heard the beloved tale that was as old as time itself.

"I believe it's…" The head of the house, Prince Adam began to announce.

"Oh, please let it be Cogsworth," the young girl sitting beside her mother insisted. "I love it when he tells the story in all those funny voices he makes up for everyone."

Prince Adam paused his sentence and gently smiled down at his lovely daughter Denise, who was a nine year old spitting image of her mother. Meanwhile, Cogsworth who also was standing close by, gloated without shame. His smile was broad and his head held high, making sure to give his life long "frien-emy" Lumiere, a haughty glance.

"Na-ugh!" Prince Adam II, or little beast, as some have affectionately come to him, defiantly argued as he squirmed his five year old body, squeezing in between the couch's armrest and his mother. "Lumiere tells the story better than anyone here!"

Cogsworth's smiled dropped like a brick as Lumiere nudged him in the ribs, returning the same smug look.

"Even better than you own mother?" His father gasped in mock shock. "Because that is whose turn it is."

"Oh," both children chimed in together in pleasant surprise. Adam Junior, now comfortable in his place, looked up into his mom's deep brown eyes. "You're not _as_ good as Lumiere, but I like to hear you tell the story too, mother."

Denise then leaned toward Cogsworth, whispering loudly, not realizing she was loud enough for all around to hear, "But she doesn't make those funny voices!"

Everyone burst into a quiet chuckle as well as Belle, before she began their favorite. As she began, Denise reached down under the couch, and grabbed her _own_ book, which she had used for drawing the pictures she imagined in her head of the time when her mother and father met and come to love one another. She had been chastised in the past for drawing while the story was being told, explaining to her that it was rude not to pay attention. So, she obediently refrained from drawing any more until after the story was told. She looked at the pictures she had drawn over the years and noticed how her drawing skills had progressed over the time she had started the book. From shaking stick figures, to now reasonably recognizable drawings of the household items that were once alive and moving about in the castle. Her drawings of the actual people however still needed work, even she noticed that, but like her dear friend Cogsworth always said, "Practice makes perfect."

Denise turned the pages of her book, keeping pace with the story's timeline until the end, but then the drawing she had made of Chip, made her stop and begin to think what would have happened had Chip been smashed and not just chipped.

"And they all lived happily ever after!" Mrs. Potts cheerfully exclaimed as she hugged Maurice, Belle's father who stood close to her.

"Mama," Denise asked in a serious tone as she continued to stare at her drawing of Chip. "Did anyone in the castle die when they were under the enchantment?"

Belle smiled warmly at her daughter, sensing the child's compassion. "No dear; things don't die, they, break."

Young Adam then shifted his body so he could curl up on his mother's lap. "Then grandpapa fixes them, right momma?"

Belle hugged her little prince, "That's right, your grandfather fixes them so they'll be good as new."

Denise's mind began to click, "Did anyone get so broken that they needed to be fixed?"

Suddenly a quiet hush fell over the room. Until now, most in the castle had put that dark and gloomy night out of their mind. Prince Adam and Belle looked at each other, not entirely sure what to say next. They had discussed what they would tell their children if and when they ever asked this kind of question, and had decided the truth was always the best approach; but now that the occasion had arrived, it wasn't easy tackling the subjects of betrayal, and jealousy from one of their own servant's, much less explain how said servant tried to destroy the entire castle and kill everyone inside.

"Well, Denise," Belle began to explain. "His name was Maestro Forte. He was the court's composer before the enchantment came over the castle. He was turned into a massive pipe organ and for those years under the enchantment, he played music just for your father."

"What made him break, mama?" Denise wondered softly.

"The man lost his flipping mind, that's what made him break!" Cogsworth spoke up gruffly.

Lumiere nodded. "He tried to kill us all, especially your mother and father!"

Both children's eyes flew wide open. "Why?" Denise gasped.

Fife, the castle's current court composer, knelt down to look at Denise face to face and tried to explain. "He was afraid if your mother and father fell in love, then he'd return to his human form."

"Who could blame him for fearing _that_?" Lumiere joked under his breath. "Remember how creepy he looked?"

Cogsworth chuckled a bit, "He looked like something you'd find lurking in a dark corner, ready to strike."

"Well, I feel sorry for the poor man!" Mrs. Potts angrily insisted. "Poor thing; chained up to the wall all that time, like a common prisoner in a dungeon. Unable to move; stuck in a dark room year after year. I'd would have gone mad too if that had happened to me."

"H-how did he try to kill everyone if he was chained to the wall?" Denise was trying to imagine how that could even be possible.

"He used the powerful sound that came from his pipes to shake the castle right down to its foundation!" Maurice exclaimed in awe.

"Was it like a clap of thunder that shakes the windows in my bedroom?" Young Adam asked, as he partly clung to Belle's dress because the story was starting to make him just a bit afraid.

"Yes, exactly!" His grandfather smiled, pleased to see the boy's ability to make scientific comparisons in his mind.

"Is that how he got broke?" Adam then asked. No one minded his poor grammar, he was after all only five.

"To save us and the castle, you father took his keyboard away and that's when he…" Mrs. Potts paused for a second to find the right words.

"That's when he _really_ lost his flipping mind!" Lumiere finished Mrs. Potts sentence.

"An act of suicide, if you ask me." Cogsworth snorted in disgust. "I mean really, what did he think was going to happen after he ripped out those bolts? That he'd suddenly grow legs or something?"

Until now, Prince Adam had remained quiet, recalling how much his relationship with Forte had meant to him during his saddest days; but seeing the look of mild terror on his children's faces shook him to the present moment. "Forte was, just_ different_ from most. He kept a lot of his own pain pent up inside so that he could preform for others. In many ways I pushed him to what he did, and I, nor your mother, hold any grudge against him. When he pulled himself out from the wall, he fell hard onto the floor, and many of the pieces that were, well, pieces of _him_, were scattered everywhere. We collected all we could find, and stored them in one of the caverns away from the castle."

"You said grandpapa fixes what is broken," Denise, restlessly reminded everyone. "Please say you fixed him too!"

"Of course your grandpapa did." Belle softly assured her daughter.

"And did Maestro Forte become human again too? Like everyone else?" Denise's voice seemed to plead.

Her father and mother both drew closer to her to comfort her worries. Adam, put his hand on Denise's head and softly stroked her hair. "We made sure we had all the pieces of that pipe organ and your grandfather made sure we put the pieces back exactly like they were supposed to be."

"As we put the pieces together, Monsieur Forte grew conscience and began to beg and plea with us not to make him human again. So, we stopped putting him together and left him like he is now." Belle assured Denise with a kind smile.

"Just like he had hoped for." Prince Adam quickly added to comfort his empathic child.

Denise gave up a sad smile, as she tried to wrap her mind around such a complicated matter. "You said you stopped putting him together; does that mean he can't make music anymore?"

Now it was Maurice's turn to reassure the child. "Oh no, on the contrary; Forte is fit as a fiddle. W-well, fit as an organ in this case."

"But," Denise wasn't looking any less worried. "You said you put the pieces in a cavern away from the castle. Is that where he is now? Alone? Away from everyone; why?"

"Well, dear, he _did_ try to kill us once before and we can't take the chance of him hurting you or your brother." Belle sighed a bit, seeing that her daughter wasn't going to leave any question unanswered. "But I assure you Denise, we go to visit Forte quite often. He's perfectly happy with this arrangement."

Denise's spirits brightened a hope. "Oh; so he had a happy ending too?"

"Yes child," Mrs. Potts spoke warmly. "Even Forte had a happy ending."

Denise was finally happy with what she was hearing. "The next time you visit Maestro Forte, may we come along?"

Prince Adam and Belle looked at each other hoping to read the other's mind. "Maybe not the next time," their father decided.

"But I promise the next time we visit Monsieur Forte, we will ask him if he'd like to meet you."

"When will you visit him, papa? Tonight?" Denise's hopes rose to a fever pitch.

Adam stood back unprepared for such an outburst. "No, its way too late for that!"

"Well, when then? Tomorrow morning? I hope its tomorrow morning. Tell me tomorrow morning!" Denise was practically bouncing up and down on the couch.

Prince Adam leaned in close to Lumiere and Cogsworth, "Was I this…"

"Oh yes," both nodded without hearing the rest of his sentence.

"Worse, if you don't mind me saying your Majesty." Cogsworth mentioned.

"Promise me you'll go see Maestro Forte tomorrow morning, papa. Please?" Denise insisted. "Please, please, please!?"

"Fine, tomorrow I will visit Forte." Adam began to chuckle. "Now will you stop asking your mother and I so many questions?"

The young girl shook her head giving her father a dead serious look. "You know I can't make that promise."

Prince Adam rolled his eyes. "Yes, I know; you would explode if you had to stop asking questions."

Denise then proudly nodded as her little brother stood up raising his hands in the air.

"Yep; she'd go, Ka-BOOM!" the lad yelled as he plopped back down on his mother's lap making the whole couch jiggle.

"All right you two, its almost your bedtime," chirped Mrs. Potts, as she and their grandfather scooped them up for bed. The group that had gathered for "story time," had dispersed, leaving the royal couple to enjoy the rest of the evening in peace.

Once the two children were well out of ear's reach, Belle quietly asked, "Do you intend on keeping your promise to Denise?"

Her husband nodded as he reclined next to her to enjoy the quiet time together. "I don't see any reason why not."

"What if Forte says, he'd **like** to meet the children? Should we let them go?" Not that Belle was all really that afraid of Forte, even she had grown fond of the unusual being. But she couldn't forget the fact that he had, after all, tried to murder everyone in the entire household only ten years ago. Could she really trust him around her children?

"Well in that case, we'll send someone to watch over them. How does that sound?" Adam understood Belle's concern.

Belle nodded, feeling a subtle sense of relief.


	2. Chapter 2

CH2

The next morning Prince Adam made a point to be up and out of the castle before either of his children awoke to ensure that he could keep his promise to Denise without any unwanted tag-alongs. It was just past sunrise, as he made his way alone, on foot to the cavern where they had placed Forte, at first as his quasi burial plot. But soon after the transformation took place, Adam's heart was filled with so much love and compassion for everyone, he could not rest until he felt he had done all he could to honor this peculiar musician and friend. He remembered how roughly, even cruelly he spoke to Forte time and time again, both before and doing their time under the enchantment. 'Mrs. Potts is right. Forte was driven to madness and I'm mostly to blame.'

Adam lit the lantern he carried with him as he entered the cave. The cavern's original use was to store wine barrels, to later be bottled, which was still its primary function, something its permanent resident didn't seem to mind, though he occasionally complained about the noise the workers made which would break his concentration. He walked past the winery side of the cave, and walked down a small set of steps which led to a large isolated cavity, separate from the rest of the cave. As he proceeded down the steps, Adam could see an eerie green glow coming from the furthest wall of the cavern. Small green music notes illuminated the air as they floated then burst like tiny bubbles. This was the maestro's dream state.

The prince raised his lantern to see above his head. "Maestro Forte?"

In the shadows, far above Adam's head, a metallic face appeared with its eyes half closed, as it awoke from a deep sleep. The dancing music notes immediately disappeared as the face batted its eyes, then it smiled and spoke up in a tender, soft voice. "Ah, Master, bonjour."

"Bonjour Forte," Adam replied soft and kindly, as he sat the lantern down on one of the empty wine barrels scattered about the space.

The metal face's eyes were now fully wide open. "I can only guess the time of day by the amount of activity going on about in the other parts of this catacomb. It seems the only time it is quiet in here is when its after dark or before sunrise. I can't imagine you would venture in here for a midnight serenade, so I'm guessing it's quiet early. Please sire, may I ask, what brings you here so early in the morning?"

"I brought you the paper you asked for, Forte." Adam mentioned softly as he raised a handful of paper which Forte intended to write his music on. "How _is_ your opera coming along?"

"Oh, quite nicely," the oddity boasted arrogantly. "Although, coming up with inspiration can be difficult when all I have to look at is the empty space of earth and wood."

The same green light as before emanated from the pipe organ's vessels streaming into a single line of pure energy which then opened the top of a steam trunk near by. Another green stream, picked up the stack of paper and carried it to the trunk, putting it inside, then closing it.

"Forte don't forget," Adam reminded his friend in a tone that seemed to beg. "If you ever change you mind, just say so, and we'll finish putting the pieces back in place. Belle and I are convinced that would make you human again."

The face laughed deeply and boasted even more arrogantly than before. "And return to a life of obscurity? I think not! Oh, I may be isolated and confined, but I have what _no one else_ in this castle has."

"What is that?" Adam wondered cautiously.

The metal face leered down at his Prince with glee. "Immorality!"

It then shot back up into the air, looking smugly to the heavens. "You see, your majesty, as you and your lovely bride, Belle age, I will stay here unchanged. Everyone, your loyal subjects, Lumiere, Cogsworth, Mrs. Potts, even Chip, _everyone_ in this castle will die and eventually turn to dust someday, but not I. I will be making music forever and ever!"

Adam had never felt so sorry for anyone more than he felt pity for his servant Forte at this very moment. "But Forte, you will be stuck in here **alone** forever and ever. Is that what you really want?"

The face's conceit fell away as it was reminded of the consequences that came with his choice but, he seemed to brush them all aside. "At least I won't be dead."

Adam sighed, there was obviously no getting through to his friend. "Well, I hope you much happiness, Forte. I truly do."

There was an awkward yet touching moment or so of silence between the two before Forte could not stand the intimacy any longer. "Is that why you came here, sire? To try and change my mind, or is there something else I could help you with, your majesty?"

Adam shook his head. "Do you recall me telling you about my children?"

"Ah yes; you and Belle had two children if I recall. A girl and a boy; am I correct?" Forte seemed pleased with himself for remembering such minor details.

"Yes," Adam smiled, also pleased that Forte remembered such details that he would have no doubt considered "minor."

"Now let me see if I can remember their names." Forte began turning it into a game. "The first child was a… girl. Her name is-s-s don't tell me, ah, Denise; and the second child was a boy that you named after yourself, marvelous choice. **See** I do remember."

Adam chuckled very much the same way he chuckled when either Denise or Adam would show off their abilities. "Well, Maestro, they wish to meet you."

Forte pulled back a bit, obviously surprised by Adam's words. "Really? So you told them about me, then?"

Adam nodded. "Yes, I didn't think you would mind."

The metal face shook slightly, "No, of course not, your majesty. I don't mind, but what exactly did you tell them?"

"The truth," Adam flatly explained.

"Oh," Forte's aura of self conceit all but vanished along with his magical green glow. "I… see. Why do you suppose they want to meet me?"

"Well, it's mostly Denise who is interested in meeting you. She has a very kind heart, like her mother." Adam began to explain, as Forte rolled his eyes, hoping his master did not see.

"She is very concerned about your well being, Forte. She's also very intelligent and inquisitive; _highly_ inquisitive." Adam's tone was both proud and annoyed.

"'_Inquisitive_,' you say? Well, its good to know marrying a book worm at least improved your vocabulary." Forte taunted sarcastically, regaining his snobbery.

"_For-te_," lowering his voice, the Prince cautioned his servant.

"Oh master, you know how I joke," the face reassured the prince with a wink. "I would love to meet your off spring sire."

Forte quickly put on his 'happiest face' and chirped with delight. "When can I expect to meet them? This afternoon perhaps?"

Adam chortled somewhat. "You're just as impatient as Denise."

"Well, I want to get this ov-v-er-mmm" Forte stammered, desperately trying to pull back the word he let slip from his tongue. "I mean to say, yes; yes I am eager to meet your children, sire."

"Well then," Adam took hold of his lantern as he prepared to leave. "I will make arrangements for Denise and Adam to be here this afternoon; and Forte…?"

"Um, yes sire?" the face knew that tone in the prince's voice meant business.

"I expect you to treat them with respect. No belittling them, is that clear?" Adam stated in a no nonsense tone of voice.

"Yes sire; um of course." Forte assured him with utter humility. For one thing Forte understood was that at any time the prince wished, he could have Forte's 'living quarters' sealed up permanently, thus essentially burying him alive. It was what he knew in his heart he deserved, and was sincerely grateful that Prince Adam had spared him such a fate. For if one thing terrified the Maestro more than to return to a life of mediocrity then die as an unknown and unimportant performer, was to be forever alive but alone and forgotten inside a lonely dark grave.


	3. Chapter 3

CH3

"Come along children, the sooner we get there, the sooner we can get back." Cogsworth had no difficulty letting everyone know just how put out of his way he was feeling this very moment. "I don't understand why the master didn't ask Mrs. Potts to be the one to escort the children down here. Isn't she the one who said she felt sorry for the lunatic?"

"Oh come now Cogsworth," Lumiere insisted. "You know Mrs. Potts has trouble seeing as well as she used to. The cave is dark and we wouldn't want her to fall would we?"

Cogsworth reluctantly admitted Lumiere made a point. "But honestly, why couldn't someone else do this?"

Adam Junior, who was directly behind Cogsworth tugged on the man's coat. "Cogsworth, when we get there, are you going to talk this much?"

Lumiere chuckled, "How about if he does, we leave him there with Forte?"

Cogsworth chose to ignore them and sulk to himself instead. He looked over his shoulder and saw Denise close behind, with a rather solemn expression on her face that had a far away look. "Denise, you are being awfully quiet, are you sure you want to go through with this?"

Denise snapped back to the present moment and she nodded her head with quiet determination. "Cogsworth, was it bad not being human?"

"Oh it was no picnic, but it was… um, lets say, it was… survivable." Cogsworth tried to soothe the child's worries with a bit of humor. "The hardest part, was putting up with that ball of wax over there." The pudgy man bobbed his head in Lumiere's direction who quickly turned around ready to fire a quick come back. "And living with you and your constant whining was a joy for me!? Oh how wrong you are, Monsieur Cogsworth! Oh wrong you are!"

"Were you and Monsieur Forte friends when you were all under the enchantment?" Denise wondered next.

Cogsworth gave her question some thought. "I don't recall even having a conversation with the windbag. What about you Lumiere? Were you friends with him?"

Lumiere pouted his lips a bit, trying to recollect any time he had spent inside the master's private music room. "No, I can't say that I was. I-I may have said a word or two with him, but nothing more than just pleasantries. He was such a strange fellow."

"Lumiere," Adam Junior began to ask, as he climbed onto a small stone paseo wall which had been built hundreds of years earlier, likely during the middle ages. "Was Monsieur Forte a bad man?"

Normally, Lumiere had no trouble explaining things to his young master. Usually the five year old asked simpler questions, such as 'why did he have to eat his vegetables, what was the point in taking a bath when he's just going to get dirty the next day, or why can't he blow snot bubbles out from his nostrils'. This question however wasn't so cut and dry. "Well, Monsieur Forte wasn't really 'bad' at least not before the transformation any way. Oh sure, he was conceited, and aloof, always 'too busy' to socialize with the rest of us servants, but he was soft spoken and mannerly."

Denise then too tried to climb the wall, only to have Cogsworth pick her up by the waist and pull her back. "Young ladies in dresses do not scale walls! Unless, of course they have a gentleman help them up and hold their hand so that they don't fall." He then lifted Denise into the air and placed her neatly on the top of the ledge, then took hold of her hand to balance her safely.

"Thank you Cogsworth." Denise politely said as she held out her other arm for balance.

"I believe the only friend the maestro had, was Fife; which should have been the one the master asked to do this task instead of me, if you don't mind me saying!" Cogsworth snorted once more.

"Well, we do mind, so stop your complaining!" Lumiere quipped, helping Adam off the wall. "We're here."

The foursome quietly walked passed those in the winery and made their way to Forte's covert with brightly lit lanterns. "Monsieur Forte? Monsieur Forte?" Cogsworth called out as if he were announcing role-call.

'Who do you expect to find in here?' Forte sarcastic thought to himself. 'King Louis XIV?'

"Monsieur Forte, are you in here?" Cogsworth once again called out, to which the temptation to shoot off a nasty quip was too great for Forte with resist.

"No, I went out for a short stroll," a loud voice boomed over their heads speaking in english to his fellow englishman. His upperclass british accent was betrayed by traces of his natural lower-class Cockney. "But you are welcome to sit here and wait until I get back."

Suddenly, Adam and Denise saw the giant metal face leering down at them. Both children froze in place partly in fear but also in amazement.

"Why hello children," the voice spoke up creepily as it lowered itself as far as it could. "I am Maestro Forte, I am, um, that is, _was_ the court's main composer before tragedy struck, and your father's best friend, but that many years ago that is; and you are?"

But the two children said nothing. They just stood there with their jaws hung open.

"I'm sorry, I didn't catch that. Would you mind repeating your names for me again?" Forte mocked.

"They are Princess Denise and Prince Adam!" Cogsworth angrily snapped at the living instrument. "No doubt you were given this information prior to us coming here."

"Hello to you too, Monsieur Cogsworth." Forte mocked all the more. "As a matter of fact, I'm well aware of the little Prince and Princess' names; I merely assumed that by now, they would have learned to speak for themselves."

"Wh-Why you…" Cogsworth began to huff, thoroughly offended for the children's sake.

Denise immediately stepped in, standing directly in front of the large metal face and curtsied with all the elegance and grace she had seen her mother display. "Pardonnez-moi, Monsieur Forte. I am Princess Denise, and this is my brother Prince Adam."

The face straightened and looked down intently at the little lady. He then softly smiled, "Enchante juene dame. But please, I like to be addressed, as Maestro. I know I no longer hold any formal position within your father's good kingdom, but it is _still_ my title."

"Oh, all right, my apologies maestro." Denise collected herself as her eyes adjusted to the darkness and her mind adjusted to speaking to what should have been an inanimate object.

Forte's face beamed with pleasure. "Now then, let me take a good look at you."

The face looked long and hard on the girl. When Prince Adam said that Denise looked exactly like her mother Belle, he assumed Adam was likely exaggerating, but now that he was looking on her with his own eyes, he had to agree. If he could only just decide whether or not he liked this discovery. After all, it was entirely Belle's fault he was banished from the castle.

All right, so maybe it was Beast's time to move on and become a man, (both literally and figuratively); and yes, perhaps everyone else in the castle was pushing the two love birds together. Maybe he could admit he over reacted to the whole idea of losing everything that meant so much to him, leaving him alone and abandoned, but if Belle hadn't shown up, he would **still** be living in the castle.

Then again, he had to admit his present situation wasn't that displeasing. It was dark and nearly empty just like his old room in the castle, plus here in the cavern, he was now surrounded by the heavenly aroma of wine, a blissful sensation that he deeply relished. Besides, Prince Adam did come to visit him often and even Forte noticed the pleasant change in the prince's demeanor.

When he returned to consciousness, and discovered that he could in deed continue to exist without returning to his human form, he offered Belle and Adam his deepest apologies and wished them only the happiest of lives; who knew? Maybe eventually he could learn to truly and sincerely mean it.

"Now young Prince," the face spoke critically. "Let's take a good look at you."

A first the boy refused to budge from Lumiere's side, but Denise turned and waved him to come closer to her. "It's OK Adam, he won't hurt us."

"A-are you sure?" the boy asked nervously, staring wide eyed at Forte.

The face chuckled, "Your father and I are good friends, young master. I would _never_ harm his children. Besides, I couldn't do you any harm to you if I wanted to. I've been bolted securely to this wall now, and trust me when I say, I've learned my lesson not to rip the bolts out _ever_ again. Now lad," Forte's spoke more gently this time.

"Come into the light so I might see you." The young boy found his courage and walked quietly over to Denise's side.

"Look up here, child. I want to see your face," Forte instructed the young prince the way a strict school master might instruct a student. The instant he saw Adam Junior's face, he was reminded of the first day he came to the castle, the day he met his Master, Prince Adam who was also five when Forte saw _him_ for the first time.

Forte remembered it encounter vividly; because that was the first time that Adam kicked him hard enough on the shin to leave a bright purple bruise, making him literally tear up and see stars as the pain shot through his leg, straight up to his brain. But a little throbbing, a little discomfort was a minor inconvenience for someone who was about to have his dreams realized.

For most of Forte's life he'd done nothing but work, as well as occasionally cheat, lie, even steal for what he'd dreamt for his entire life. His dreary life that began in a London orphanage; too sickly looking to ever be adopted out. Children were adopted only if they were _simply adorable_ or strong enough to work on a family far or long hours in someone's shop. Forte was neither adorable or large; he was brains not brawn. A fact he had to constantly remind his fellow orphans, to which they would beat the crap out of him time and time again. Not even the nuns who ran the orphanage appreciated his superior intellect; they were forever reminding him pride was Satan's downfall, but he never understood how can simply acknowledging the obvious be a sin?

"So my young prince, are you still afraid of me?" the face asked with a touch of maliciousness.

The boy hesitated for a second. "No."

Forte pulled back feeling a little less intimidating. "Oh, why not?"

"Because Denise is right, you won't hurt us. Our dad is the master of the castle." The young prince was feeling emboldened by the minute. But Forte knew how to play this.

"Ah, so true young master. It's promising to see the kingdom will have such brave and courageous leaders in its future. Are you both in school?"

"Our mother teaches us most of our lessons Maestro Forte." Denise spoke up as Adam now began looking closely at Forte's keyboard.

"Mmm, your mother Belle is quite intelligent, for a woman. I'm sure she makes an excellent teacher, on an elementary level of course, for you and your dear brother. Tell me, have you any musical talent?"

"I can sing _Frere Jacques._" Adam chirped right up. "Want to hear me?"

Forte smiled and laughed joyfully. "Why of course I would, your highness. Please, by all means sing."

Adam Junior cleared his throat and straightened his posture.

"_Frère Jacques, Frère Jacques, _

_Dormez-vous? Dormez-vous? _

_Sonnez les matines, sonnez les matines _

_Ding ding dong, ding ding dong."_

The boy then ended his song with a proper bow, to which the maestro poured on the flattery. "Nicely done, your majesty! Now, how about you fair young lady? Can you sing?"

Denise blushed a bit. "Ah, w-well, a little."

Forte smirked, "Oh don't be so shy child. Come now, let's hear you give it a go."

"Um, alright maestro." Denise spoke shyly.

"_Alouette, gentille Alouette_

_Alouette je te plumerai_

_Alouette, gentille Alouette_

_Alouette je te plumerai_

_Je te plumerai la tête_

_Je te plumerai la tête_

_Et la tête, et la tête_

_Alouette, Alouette_

_O-o-o-o-oh_

_Alouette, gentille Alouette_

_Alouette je te plumerai"_

Forte smiled quite pleased at the young girl. "Ah, I just knew you would have a lovely voice. You have the voice of a diva in the making."

"What's a diva?" Adam questioned curiously as he was now feeling comfortable enough to speak to Forte without his knees knocking together.

"A diva is someone your sister is too high on the social status to _ever_ worry about becoming!" Cogsworth spoke up roughly to which Forte gave him an annoyed but confused look.

"Divas are practically royalty themselves, so I don't know why you snub them so." Forte spoke defensively in his english tongue once again. "Besides, I wasn't suggesting the princess take up the profession, I'm merely starting that she has the right kind of voice to be one."

For a few moments no one spoke, and Lumiere took the opportunity to wrap the meeting up. They were just there so that the children could meet the living oddity, not make friends. He picked up his lantern and Cogsworth followed suit. "Well, children; its time to say goodbye."

Forte thought it strange that he felt an actual pang of remorse to see the meeting be cut so short, but he saw no reason to keep the humans there any longer. But still…

"Wait!" he yelled out as they began walking away. "I know; I will write you a song, dear Denise. Would you like that?"

Denise turned around and smiled. "Yes Monsieur Um, I mean Maestro Forte." Denise yelled up to him excitedly. "I would like that very much!"


	4. Chapter 4

CH4

That evening, the royal family sat down to dinner. Prince Adam and Belle, sat on both ends of the table while Denise and Adam Junior sat in the middle, one on each side. The table was elegantly set, and the servants brought their meal on silver platters. The children knew this was the time to put on their best behavior. They remained quiet and polite, making sure to say thank you and please when protocol dictated.

"So children, how did you visit with Monsieur Forte go this afternoon?" Belle asked politely to begin the dinner time conversation.

"I like him," Denise said brightly with a warm smile.

"I thought he was scary." Adam admitted a very nervously.

"Scary?" His father challenged the notion. "That old hunk of metal? You weren't really scared of that, now were you Adam?"

Little Adam straightened up in his seat a bit, trying to forget about how creepy the living organ's face looked to him. "I-I was a little… at first."

"I told you this would happen," Belle scolded her husband softly under her breath, but loud enough for all to hear.

The last thing Prince Adam wanted to do was give his children something to be afraid of, so he decided to try to help Adam see Forte as a harmless object, not a nightmarish freak.

"Forte is nothing to fear, children. The worst he'd ever do is say something that might hurt your feelings; honestly I don't think the old windbag can help himself, but I wouldn't allow him to stay on the grounds if I thought for one second he could do you any _real_ harm."

"I thought Maestro Forte was very interesting," Denise chimed in, hoping to add some positive input.

"Yes, Monsieur Forte is certainly interesting," Belle agreed in an ironic tone. "I have to admit he's not the _worst_ person, I ever met."

Belle had to stop for a second to consider if she was technically correct to even call Forte a "person".

"I'm not really scared of Monsieur Forte," the young prince reluctantly tried to explain. "I'm just… scared of his _face_."

Both Prince Adam and Belle softly laughed at their son's honest confession. "You think he looks scary now, you should have seen him before!"

"Really?" the young prince asked in surprise. "You mean he was even scarier when he was human?"

"I'll say," his father's voice quieted down. "He was so scary looking, I remember kicking him the first time I saw him."

Suddenly both Belle and Denise had sympathetic looks on their faces. "You never told me that you kicked Forte when you were a child." Belle's sympathy for Forte was quite genuine.

"Well, I did… _and_ more than once," the Prince admitted in sorrow. "Hey, the guy gave me the _creeps_."

"No wonder he's always so defensive." Belle chastised her husband.

"You're not scared of him anymore are you Poppa?" Adam asked, fairly certian he already knew what his father's answer would be.

"No, of coarse not!" his father confidently assured the young prince. "Like I've said, Forte and I have been friends for quite some time. Even if he's still a little creepy looking."

Even Belle wanted to reassure her son that his fears were unfounded. "Remember what I've said before AJ, you can't judge a book by its cover."

"I know momma," the boy sheepishly agreed. "Because if _you_ had done that yourself, you would have never fallen in love with Poppa."

"Exactly," Belle reminded him.

There was a few moments of silence as the family continued to eat their evening meal before Denise spoke up again. "Poppa, Maestro Forte has solid black eyes, and I didn't see a tongue or any teeth in his mouth, so how do you think he's able to speak or even see?"

The Prince nodded his head as he swallowed his food and patted his face with a napkin. "I actually asked Forte that very question many years ago, and he and I came to the conclusion that it's sheer will power. The mind is an amazing thing and it can do so much more than we realize. Did Forte show you how he can move things around just with his music?"

"No," Adam and Denise both shook their heads with surprised expressions on their faces.

"Forte says he concentrates on the item he wants to move, then uses his music to direct... this…" Adam found it difficult to explain Forte's telekinetic powers. "Um… this kind of… energy that his mind produces to move that object. He can get pretty creative with it too."

"I'll say," Belle interjected. "Like create blasts of energy hard enough to knock your father over."

"When he's really upset," Adam defended his friend. "And that's not happened since we put him back together. He can also create images with his energy. It's pretty impressive."

"Wow," Denise sat back in her chair with eyes wide open. "I **must** ask Forte to show me this next time I visit him."

"Next time…?" Belle repeated nervously.

Denise nodded as she took a sip of her drink. "Uh-huh, um sorry, I-I mean, yes ma'am." Denise knew Belle wanted her to use only proper grammar at the dinner table. "He promised to write me a song. So I have to get back."

Belle looked directly at Denise as she to warn her daughter of Forte's fondness to manipulate people. "Monsieur Forte has a bad habit of promising people things he has no intention on fulfilling, so don't be too surprised if you never see this song."

"Oh," Denise sounded very disappointed. "Well, even if he doesn't, I will still ask him to show me how he can move things around with just his music."

"What do you think about the children continuing to see Forte, dear?" Belle directed the question to her husband the Prince, hoping he'd have a perfectly sound reason for the children to avoid any further contact with Forte.

Adam paused briefly, thinking carefully about the question at hand. He had been married to Belle long enough to know she didn't have any hate in her heart, not even for someone as dastardly as Forte. But protecting her children was always the most important thing on his wife's mind, and understandably Adam knew she would have some serious doubts about her children going to a dark cave on a regular basis to visit a harmless but somewhat insane individual. Yet, didn't their own love story brake all those old notions of assuming people cannot or will not change?

Adam straightened himself in his chair and cleared his throat a little, prepared for Belle's reaction. "I think it's a great idea."

Immediately, Adam knew that look on Belle's face meant she would now call for a quick, 'private discussion'.

"May I speak with you in private?" Belle politely asked her husband as if on cue.

The two adults got up from the table and immediately the servants began to clear the table, while the children continued to sit, waiting to see what would happen next. Young Adam leaned over the table and whispered quietly to Denise, "Do you think it would be OK if I had desert now?"

Belle and Adam met alone in a nearby hallway, standing close enough so not to speak loud enough for the kids or the staff to hear. This was a private matter between mother and father, and as well meaning as their loved ones were, this was not the time for kindly advice or clever opinions.

"Belle," Adam began. "I know what you're going to say, but trust me, the kids are in no danger. You've been to the cave yourself, you know there's nothing inside to be afraid of."

"Except for someone who tried to kill us!" Belle quickly reminded him.

"That was a long time ago, and under far different circumstances." Adam assured his wife. "He's changed a lot since then, just as I have. Who knows, maybe all Forte needs is more people to take an interest in him and his work. Maybe then he'll see he can find a place here in the human world."

Belle cocked her head to one side. "That's what this is about isn't it? You're hoping Forte will change his mind someday and want to be human again don't you?"

Adam solemnly nodded his head, "Yes," he confessed. "Belle, Forte is the way he is, all because of me. Not just the physical transformation, but his mental breakdown as well. See, I know for a fact that he was terrified of being confined in dark, closed places before he became an organ. I know this because once, when I was young, I found him inside a closet, sorting out boxes of music sheets. As a prank, I closed and locked the door on him. The man went berserk! Once the other servants got him out, he told everyone that it made him feel like he was suffocating. I thought it was funny back then, but now I would do anything to undo what I did."

Belle was beginning to understand. "I see, you feel guilty for Forte being the way he is, but Adam, he says he's happier now."

"I think in the process of coping with the transformation, in stead of learning to endure his fate, he embraced it. He knew there wouldn't be someone who could simply unlock a door and let him out this time; he was forced to accept his own hell and… I guess in order to survive it, he… pretended he liked it. Now, I think he believes he's better off in hell because its what he's come to know and expect."

"I had no idea you had given so much thought to Forte's ordeal." Belle spoke in subtle amazement.

"Every time I think of him, I'm reminded of all the harm my selfish, foolish behavior caused in so many innocent lives. I'm responsible for the damage done, so it's my responsibility to make things right, down to the very last soul that I hurt; which happens to be my friend, Forte."

Belle smiled, feeling so impressed with her husband's sensitive heart. "When did you learn to care so deeply for the people around you?"

"Well," Adam smiled back, touching her on the cheek. "When I saw how deeply you cared for me, Belle."

They came back to the table, to find their children happily enjoying chocolate mouse. Young Adam raised his head, his cheeks covered in chocolate. "So, is it OK if we keep seeing Maestro Forte?"

Belle, smiling as she took her son's napkin and began to wipe his face went to explain, "Your father and I have talked it over and…"

She then noticed Denise crossing her fingers and mouthing the words, "Please say yes, please say yes, please say yes."

Belle chuckled a little, "We've decided its all right to visit Forte."

Later that night, when everyone was in bed and seemingly asleep; young Adam crept quietly in his brown silk pajamas and robe, to his sister's bedroom. He cracked the door open and poked his head inside. "Dee…?" he whispered loudly. He paused, before entering, waiting for an answer.

"Yes, Adam?" she replied sounding quite awake and alert.

"Can you sleep?" he asked as he came inside walking toward her bed.

"No," Denise sat up in bed, wearing a yellow chiffon gown and rubbed her eyes, not so much form sleepiness but to help see her brother's face a little better.

"I can't either," the young prince said as he began to climb into bed with Denise. "Every time I close my eyes I keep seeing that scary face."

He then cuddled close to Denise as she put her arms around her dear brother. "You heard what Poppa said, there is nothing to be afraid of."

"I know," Adam confessed as he was beginning to feel relaxed in his sister arms. "But, I still think he's a little scary. Can I sleep here tonight?"

"Of course you can," Denise kindly said as she then scooted over a bit to make more room for him and her to share the bed.

"I wonder what its like to be made of metal," she wondered aloud now that she had someone to talk to.

"Huh?" Adam began to yawn as he closed his eyes to sleep.

"Well, I wonder if Forte can still_ feel_ things. He can still see, and hear, so I guess he could feel too; that makes sense doesn't it? Then again he's metal so… hmmm," Denise's brain buzzed with curiosity.

"I wonder if he ever has to pee." Adam smirked mischievously.

Denise rolled her head back, "Well if he drinks anything, then I would think he must."

Adam then began to quietly snicker. "If he did, do you think he'd rust?"

Denise blushed trying not to snicker too. "I don't think I'll ask him that when I see him tomorrow. That wouldn't be very lady like."

Adam eyes instantly popped open as he lifted his head up, "Wait; you're thinking about going back there _tomorrow_?"

Denise smiled with excitement. "Yep; I know momma said he doesn't keep his promises, so I'm going to remind him that he said he was going to write me a song, and I'm going to keep reminding him until he does!"

"Oh, OK," Adam laid his head back down, but eyes wide open. "But who's going to take us? Cogsworth didn't sound very happy last time."

Denise shrugged her shoulders. "Why do we need anyone to go with us? We know the way now; its easy to get to. I'm sure as long as Maestro Forte isn't busy, mama and papa won't object, they let us visit other servants in and around the castle without supervision. Why would visiting Forte be any different?"

"But, he's **so** creepy!" Adam chillingly reminded her.

"What you call creepy, I call interesting," Denise proudly declared. "So, are you coming with me or not?"

Her brother laid quietly for a minute. "Coming," he reluctantly agreed. "But just because I don't want you to go by your self."

"Great!" Denise smiled as she tried to make herself comfortable so she could sleep. "We'll leave after breakfast."

She then rolled over to go to sleep as Adam did the same, snuggling his back as close to hers as he could. A few moments went by and Denise heard her brother softly snoring, while she lay there excitedly thinking about how her next visit with Forte might go.


	5. Chapter 5

CH5

Denise spent the entire night waking up every few hours, wondering if morning had yet arrived. Once the sun was finally up, so was she, as well as her reluctant brother. "Can't we sleep in just a little bit longer?" Little Adam argued, fighting to keep the covers on as Denise tugged on them to get him out of bed. "I need more sleep."

"Come on Adam, You're not scared, are you?" Denise asked him as she finally won the battle over the covers, leaving her brother alone on the bed without even a sheet to cover himself.

"No!" the young prince asserted. "I'm not scared of that old windbag!"

"Good," his sister threw the sheets on the floor and practically began to skip away. "I can't wait to see Forte again. Oh he's going to be so happy to see us!"

"But I just finally got that scary face out of my head," the young boy quietly pouted as he scratched his head, and slowly made his way out of bed.

The children got dressed and went down stairs for breakfast. "Good morning children," Mrs. Potts warmly welcomed them into the kitchen area. "Aren't you going to join your parents for breakfast this morning?"

"No, Mrs. Potts," Denise explained as she took a napkin and gathered some fresh muffins to put inside. "But we'll be back in a little while."

Mrs. Potts made no fuss about the children leaving on their own. They were, after all, responsible well behaved children who seldom caused any serious trouble. She did take note however that where Denise seemed quite ecstatic about their morning adventure, young Adam did not. "Where do you suppose they are off to so early in the morning?" Mrs. Potts asked their grandfather Maurice.

"I remember their mother was always running off early in the morning too, when we lived in the village," he went on to explain. "Guess they're out to find their own adventures, just as she did."

Together, Denise and Adam ate their muffins along the way to Forte's cavern, and in a matter of minutes they were there. "See, it was easy getting here. Now, we just need to light these lanterns and we'll go see the Maestro."

AJ looked over his shoulder, almost hoping someone would come along and stop them before he had to "prove" he wasn't really scared. Denise lit his lantern and handed it to him, then lit her own. "Come on, I bet Forte will be excited to see us again!"

They walked the path through the cavern they had taken the day before and as they approached the steps, they heard music being softly played. In the light of the lanterns, the children could see the organ's face; its eyes were closed with a peaceful expression, as it was deeply contemplating its own sound.

"Oh, it's beautiful." Denise exclaimed as they walked up toward the living instrument.

Instantly the music stopped as the organ calmly opened it eyes. "Who's there?" he quietly wondered aloud.

"It's us, Maestro Forte." Denise announced cheerfully. "Bonjour."

For a moment Forte just quietly looked at her, as a grin slowly crossed his face. "But you just left here, child. Why are you back so soon?"

"It's been a whole day since we left here, Maestro; that's a long time! Well, for me it is." Denise confessed, as she walked closer to get a better look at him. Forte chortled, sounding thoroughly amused. "So, I suppose patience is not a strong suit of yours, is it child?"

"Not really," Denise openly admitted. "I try to be patient, but it takes too long."

Her childlike honesty brought out a deep laugh from the organ. "Patience never was one of my better qualities either. But, circumstances as they are, I have learned to perfect the art."

Forte then leaned down and came closer to Denise so he could clearly see her face. "I heard you commenting on my music when you came into my chamber; you approve?"

"Yes, I approve," she said decidedly. "It was… it was…"

"Magnificent?" Forte offered to finished her thought.

Denise scrunched her nose, "Um, I was going to say, something like, _lovely_, but if you want to call it magnificent, we can."

"Well, I don't want to put words in your mouth," Forte batted his eyes and sulked.

"Oh, OK then," Denise happily pronounced, misunderstanding Forte's sarcasm. "We'll call it 'lovely.'"

"As you wish, your highness." Forte remarked drily before thinking to himself; _'Eh, its far better than what her father would have told me, when he was at that age.'_

He then looked beyond Denise and saw young Adam standing quietly in the shadows and began to subtly mock. "Is that the _brave_ young prince I see standing there?" Come closer, your majesty; I won't bite."

Young prince Adam was determined this time not to let his fear of Forte get the best of him; he straightened his shoulders and walked proudly up to the organ. "B-bonjour, Monsieur Forte."

Denise turned quickly to correct her brother. "He likes to be called Maestro," she whispered helpfully.

"Oh," her brother then remembered Forte insisting he be referred to by his professional title, though not with much eagerness. "Bonjour, _maestro_ Forte."

Forte quickly sensed the child's unhappiness. "What's wrong young prince? Don't you like my music?"

Adam shrugged his shoulders. "It's all right I guess; kinda girly though."

"_Girly?!_" Forte raised himself to his full height and spat angrily. "My masterpiece, _girly_?" he repeated in shock.

The young prince nodded, innocently unaware of the insult he just threw Forte's way. "Yah, that's probably why my sister likes it so much. It's girly."

"I see," Forte almost growled. "Well, your father has never called my music girly; he may have had other choice words for it, but never **girly**! So, young prince Adam, what do you have to say about that?"

"Does he like your music?" Adam questioned suspiciously.

"Well," Forte stammered a little; "that's a rather complicated matter. At first he didn't, but then he learned to appreciate my particular brand of genius."

"Oh, hmmm," Adam was finally beginning to feel comfortable talking to the scary face. "I guess Poppa likes it, because its kinda old too. Grownups always like old stuff."

Forte was left speechless. Had he his human body again, he would have dreamed of giving the mouthy gamin a sound spanking; for dreaming of spanking a royal brat was the closest a servant could _ever_ come to committing of such a treasonous act. Instead, Forte resigned to merely sigh to himself and accept the idea that at least both children were not quite as boorish as their father had been at their age. He shrugged the mild offenses, then began to play a melody off the top of his head, mostly to keep his calm while the children were around.

"That wouldn't happen to be my song is it?" Denise asked hopefully as she leaned up against one of the empty wine barrels. He gave her a curious look as he continued to play; then stopped. "Oh that's right; I did say I'd write you a song. No, this is it, but I'll get to work on yours here directly."

The tone of his voice didn't give her any assurance that he'd keep his promise any time soon. "Oh, I see. Well, Momma says I shouldn't be disappointed if you don't write one for me."

Forte tilted his head and asked pretentiously. "Now, why would she go and say a thing like that?"

Denise straightened up and took a few more steps closer to the living organ. "Mother says you have a bad habit of making promises you don't intend to keep."

"Oh is that so?" he asked mildly miffed. _'__**Damn**__, now I will have to write the bloody thing.'_

"Well dear child, do not worry; I will have a song for you, you have my word." He tried his best to reassure the princess.

"Maestro," Adam's voice was calm and relaxed now that he had lost his fear of the face. "Can you really move things around with your music?"

This made Denise forget about her song. "Yes, Poppa says you concentrate on something, and the music moves it for you."

Glad to have Denise no longer pressing him for her song, Forte eagerly began to talk about his telekinesis. "Why yes children, as a matter of fact I can move things around."

"Can you move something for us?" Adam asked before Denise could.

His attention fell on the prince, and evil grin curled Forte's mouth. "I'd be glad to move something for you, your majesty. What ever should I lift? Hmmm, let's see, oh, I know…"

The keys on the keyboard began to move, creating Forte's eerie green light of musical notes which narrowed themselves into two separate distinct lines of energy, that swirled and looped around the children. "Wow," both Denise and Adam gasped and stared with wide eyes and mouths at the phenomenon. Then suddenly the two streams went behind the prince and picked him up from under his arms, lifting him into the air. One foot, two feet, four feet, six feet. Both children were elated, yet Adam was beginning to experience a certain sense of alarm.

"You, you can put me down now," the prince timidly suggested. Suddenly, Forte looked off in the distance, as if he were speaking an unseen entity. _'Well, the prince said, I can put him down now.'_

But instead, Forte wisely passed the chance to get even with the obnoxious prince, and began to slowly lower the child until he reached a safer height of about one and a half feet, then dropped him like a rock. _Thump! _Even thoughAdam hit the ground on his feet, he fell on his backside, laughing. "That was fun, Forte! Do it again!"

Fort'e expression went blank for a moment. So much for teaching the imp a thing or two about respect.

"_Again?_" the metal face huffed irritably, but before he could say or do anything more, Denise spoke up.

"No," she insisted but with a polite and diplomatic tone. "It's my turn. That is if Maestro Forte doesn't mind."

Her charm soothed Forte's ruffled ego, and he smiled sweetly at Denise, "I don't mind at all, my dear. Your wish is my command."

He then began to play again and this time a large beam of musical notes came out and surrounded Denise, as she held tight to her lantern, scooping her up by the back of the knees, and cradling her the way her father would carry her to bed when she was too tired or not feeling well. He lifted her higher and higher; six feet, eight, ten, twelve feet, until she was now directly face to face with him. She raised her lantern and saw the reflection of the fire burning back in his solid black eyes.

'So they really _are_ eyes, not just holes,' she thought to herself. She then reached out her hand and touched the metal face on what would have been his cheek bone. She moved her hand across his cold shiny surface.

"Can, can you feel that?" she wondered as she continued to follow the lines and curves on his face.

"Not at all," he calmly admitted as she looked back into his pitch black eyes. Even with the flickering flames glowing brightly in his eyes, they were as cold as the surface of his skin.

"Oh," Denise was obviously disappointed. "I'm sorry."

He gasped in bewilderment upon hearing her apology, as he began to gently lower her safely to the ground. "Why on earth are you sorry?"

Forte could not imagine why anyone would pity him when he had everything he could possibly need.

When Denise reached the ground, she gracefully stood straight. "Don't you miss having feelings?"

"Why, not at all!" he boasted with pride. "I've never felt better; all great men learned to over come those foolish and useless silly things, you know."

"Like who?" she wondered as she walked over to his keyboard and started examining it more closely.

Forte then began to quietly brainstorm for an answer. '_Alexander the Great? No, he had more than his share of lovers; Caesar? Um no, he had Cleopatra and so did Marc Anthony. King David? eh, had that affair with his general's wife. I know, Soleman! Oh wait, he had Bath-sheba. Hmmm_'

"Well, it doesn't matter who they were," he asserted impatiently. "But trust me, there were plenty and they were all great men to be envied."

"Ah-ha wait!" he then suddenly exclaimed as he was finally able to recall some of his heroes. "All the great philosophers like Plato, Aristotle, Socrates. Those were great men of thought and reason."

Forte waited for a response from the children, but soon realized no one was paying attention to him. He looked around, trying to see where they had gone. He saw young Adam was making a game of jumping up and down the steps, but where was Denise? He could hear her messing around directly underneath him, but he couldn't see her. He leaned down as far as he could, trying to follow the sound, but couldn't bend far enough to find her. "What are you doing?" he asked sharply.

"Oh, I'm just looking to see how everything's connected," she explained as she knelt down behind and under the keyboard for a closer look. "There's got to be a logical explanation for how all this works."

"Well… please stop that," he grumbled uneasily. "You're making me feel uncomfortable."

Denise raised her head to give Forte an odd look. "You can't feel anything by touch, yet can you 'feel' emotions such as embarrassment. Hmmm, interesting," she muttered as she knelt back down and started touching and prodding at things. "Forte…?" she yelled up. "Can you feel that?"

"NO, and **please**, I ask you again, get away from there," he indignantly insisted. "I feel like you are looking at me in my small clothes."

Hearing Forte's remark, Adam began to snicker, "Organ's don't wear small clothes, silly. You're naked!"

"I am not!" he argued in a highly offended huff.

"Well Maestro, as a matter of fact," Denise tried to explain as she backed away from looking at his inner makings. "You are."

"I'll have you two know that I was fully clothed, in my finest, the day I was turned into this glorious creation you see before you now. When I saw what had happened, there were no pile of clothes laying next to me, and with that in mind, I can only assume that I'm still wearing the damned things!"

Adam's mouth flew wide open upon hearing one of the castle's "forbidden" words, however before he could react, Denise shook her head warning him not to. "Maestro Forte…?"

Denise's voice was soft and sincere. "Would you tell us what it was like? Being turned into an organ?"

Forte paused for a minute, it had been twenty years ago since he was transformed, yet it felt like it was only yesterday. For a second he hesitated to answer. Sharing personal experiences was not one of Forte's natural talents. He thought hard about her question. "I remember… darkness, no pain to speak of, just cold numbness coming over my entire being. The next thing I remember, I stood alone in one of rooms in the west wing which had been used in the past for private parties. I recall I could look down on everything in the room when suddenly I realized that I couldn't move. I…" his words trailed off.

"Well… the rest doesn't matter. What happened, happened." His face went from a distant look of dazed reflection to plainly annoyed. "Why are you asking me this? Why not bother one of the other servants?"

"I have," Denise explained. "Everyone has their own story about what happened to them on that day; I just wanted to know your story too. Besides, Maestro Forte, you are the only one who wanted to stay under the enchantment."

"I am?" he seemed pleasantly surprised with hearing this. "Fools," Forte then snorted arrogantly, fluttering his eyes as he soaked in his own self admiration.

"Was I the only one to recognize what a wondrous opportunity had been given us?" The metal face was beaming with pride. "I bet they've all grown older haven't they?"

"I guess so," Denise, didn't give his question much thought.

"Everybody looks old to me," Adam admitted as he began to hope two steps at a time, without faltering.

"In deed," Forte smugly looked down his nose. As he observed Adam jumping to and fro, Forte half way wished he'd see the child fall.

"Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to get back to work." Forte closed his eyes and went back to playing his song, hoping the children would take the hint and leave.

"Maestro Forte," Denise asked sympathetically before she began to walk away from him. "Doesn't it get lonely in here?"

He opened his eyes and looked amiably upon the girl. "I do have your father who comes to visit me regularly. He keeps me company from time to time."

Denise seemed satisfied with his answer. "And you'll have us too."

"I will?" Forte sounded almost content with the idea.

'No doubt they're impressed with my keen intellect,' he arrogantly thought to himself.

Suddenly, the sound of heavy footsteps could be heard echoing in the chamber as Cogsworth and Lumeire came rushing down the steps into the cavity.

"There you are!" Cogsworth gasped half way out of breath. "You two gave your parents quite a scare this morning!"

"It wasn't really a scare," Lumiere began to explain. "They just wondered where you had gone off to so early in the morning."

"Well, they seemed _pretty_ alarmed to me!" Cogsworth refused to let Lumeire correct him.

"They had a pretty good idea where we could find them didn't they?" Lumiere insisted as both men seemed to forget why they came into the cave to begin with.

Forte slouched and rolled his eyes as he watched the two men quarrel. _'Perhaps this place should be made into a new reception hall?'_

"Forte picked me up!" Adam excitedly began to tell Lumiere as he grabbed his lantern to leave. "He plays music and… and this green light comes out and, and it picked me up."

Cogsworth reached his hand for Denise to take, "Come along your majesty; you've wasted enough time in here already."

Forte raised up to his full height, eyes glowing green. "Wasted enough time!?"

Cogsworth then took a few steps toward the organ and pointed his finger straight up at Forte's face, speaking in english. "You heard what I said! These children do not need to waste their time assorting with such riffraff as the likes of you, _Mon-si-eur_ Forte! Good day!"

Forte pulled back, speechless, thoroughly outraged, but also sincerely hurt. Denise looked up to see his pain. "Cogsworth," she began to explain calmly. "We have Momma and Poppa's permission to visit Maestro Forte."

"I'm sure they misunderstood what they were agreeing to," Cogsworth insisted impatiently. "Surely, they'd never knowingly allow you to make friends with this, this maniac."

Lumiere gently began to tug Cogsworth's shoulder. "Well, eh,eh," he tried to use tact. "From what I gathered talking to Prince Adam this morning, they did just that."

"Well, I won't allow it!" Cogsworth disputed. "We have two adorable, kind hearted, dignified, poised children and I won't see them corrupted and turned into delinquents!"

Forte's face scowled at Cogsworth comments, but waited for the right moment to confront him.

"Now, now old friend," Lumiere patted Cogsworth on the chest, gently urging him to simply let things be. "I'm no more in favor of Denise or Adam coming here than you are, but it's not our place to question the Master's or Belle's parenting," he rationalized.

"So, the Master and his darling bride Belle, gave their children their blessings to come see me." Forte now saw his chance to stick his thumb in Cogsworth's eye. "No doubt that must really grind your gears," he couldn't help but follow up with an evil chortle.

"Your highness, as long as you don't interfere with my work, you may come here whenever you like." Forte's invitation was directed mostly toward Denise, however he understood that the children were likely a package deal.

"That would be nice and thank you for visiting with us today." Denise quaintly curtsied. Au revoir, Maestro Forte."

"Au revoir children," the face replied politely, feeling deeply satisfied pissing Cogsworth off. He quietly smiled to himself as he watched the group once again leave his presence, then closed his eyes and went back to crafting his masterpiece.


	6. Chapter 6

CH6

"I'm sorry your highness, but I cannot simply stand idly by while you and Belle allow your children to cohort with such a villainous traitor as Forte!" Cogsworth boldly asserted as he stood before Prince Adam who was sitting down at his official desk, ready to preform his daily official duties as Master of the house and surrounding territories.

"Cogsworth…" the Prince softly spoke, only to have his loyal though somewhat overbearing servant interrupt him.

"We have to think about the children, your majesty!" Cogsworth insisted, refusing to let his master have a word in edge wise. "They need to be nurtured and protected from wrong influences."

"Cogsworth…" again, Adam tried to reason with his dear friend.

"Denise and Adam are at such impressionable stages in their lives, sire. We must constantly guard them from any thing that would corrupt their sensitive hearts and minds. Forte is, is, is a mean-spirited, manipulating, fiendish, arrogant, deceitful, conniving…"

"Cogsworth!" this time Adam's voice stressed with impatience. "I know your heart is I the right place, but you just have to trust me on this."

"That sneaky old snake has you fooled sire!" Cogsworth argued back. "Nothing good will come from allowing your children to associate with him. One way or another, this will end badly, mark my words your majesty, it **will** end badly!"

Meanwhile, Denise quietly hid herself in the room next to her father's office, sitting on the floor, listening very carefully to what was being said. For the life of her, she could not understand why her dearest friend Cogsworth had so many mean things to say about someone she come to see as being quite intriguing and mysterious. 'Why is Cogsworth so set against me seeing Forte?'

In spite of her repeatedly asking him this very question as they journeyed from Forte's cavern back to the castle, Cogsworth had not given her a sufficient reply to satisfy her curiosity. 'If Momma and Poppa could forgive the maestro, why won't Cogsworth?' she thought to herself.

Prince Adam stood up from his desk, which Cogsworth knew to mean business. He walked quietly over to his old friend and put both his hands on Cogsworth shoulders, looking him squarely, yet benevolently in the eyes. "I've never told anyone about this before Cogsworth, but the first night of the enchantment, I decided I wasn't going to spend my life as a monster, not even for a day. After I went up stairs, I broke apart, ripped and tore everything in sight. I then went to where I knew my father had kept his saber, and I pulled it out, ready to run myself through and end it all right there and then. Forte saw what I was about to do, and talked me out of it; and he did so, not by giving me hope, but giving me the courage to face my woe. He didn't promise me a better future, he convinced me I was strong enough accept the present; and, Cogsworth, he was right."

Cogsworth's eyes grew sympathetic toward his Prince as he began to slowly nod his head understandingly. "Now, I'm not defending what Forte did that Christmas Eve, and yes, I know he's a cold hearted bastard; but he was there for me in my darkest days. He always knew what I needed to hear, and not just in song but in advice and console. Maybe he was purely self serving, maybe not; but it was only Forte who could remind me that I still had a soul, when all I saw in the mirror was a monster. If not for him, I would not have made it through those ten dismal years."

Over hearing all this, Denise's eyes began to swell up with tears. She had always guessed her father must have had a sad time spending ten years locked away, being a beast who shunned the world, but had no idea it nearly put an end to him. Overwhelmed with compassion, she came running out of the room, tears rolling down her cheeks, and ran right into her father's arms. "Oh Poppa," she sobbed as she hugged him tightly, profusely kiss his cheeks. "I'm so happy you didn't kill yourself!"

"Denise," Adam softly scolded. "Were you eavesdropping?"

Instantly the child stopped kissing him, and hung her head in shame, "um, a little." She quietly admitted.

Prince Adam sighed, and gave his daughter a disapproving look. "You should know better, little lady."

Denise then looked him straight in the eye, "I'm sorry."

"_Ahem_," Cogsworth's momentary humility, evaporated as he smugly folded his arms behind his back and began to rock himself on his heals. "And already it starts. Today it's spying, tomorrow swearing, and sassy back to her elders; before you know it she'll be wanting to wear skirts short enough to show everyone her calves, and then… sneaking out at night!"

Adam rolled his eyes in exasperation; "Cogsworth, would you please escort our this little snoop to the library. I'm sure your mother is wondering why isn't she with her, studying her daily lessons." He then put Denise down giving her one last stern look, then winked and smiled.

"Yes, sire." The pudgy man took Denise by the hand and strolled out looking as cheeky as ever. "Come along, young lady. Let's see what your mother has to say about this."

* * *

**I KNOW THIS IS PRETTY SHORT, BUT IF I CAN GET WHAT'S IN MY HEAD, INTO PRINT THEN THINGS ARE ABOUT TO GET A BIT COMPLICATED AND CHOPPING IT UP IN SMALL PIECES WILL WORK BEST.**

**THANKS FOR THE FEEDBACK, AND PATIENCE. -LINDA J.**


	7. Chapter 7

CH7

"I'm sorry, Belle, but I cannot stand idly by while you and the master allow your children to cohort with such a villainous traitor as Forte!" Cogsworth found himself pretty much repeating what he had told the Prince just minutes before, to Belle, who was sitting at a table in the library along with her son, little Adam.

"Cogsworth," Belle laid her book down, and began to at least try to explain her and her husband's motives, only to have her words cut off by Cogsworth, the just as he had cut off her husband.

"These children are the nation's future Belle," he continued his relentless ranted. Both Denise, who had come into the room with Cogsworth and took her seat at the table, and her brother Adam, looked back and forth, between their mother then at Cogsworth, trying to understand what the fuss was all about.

"We mustn't let them run amuck, learning all kinds of unscrupulous behavior from a heel like Forte!"

"Cogsworth," again Belle tried, and again she failed.

"Now I'm aware you and the master have a special relationship with that pompous schemer, but you can't let your tenderheartedness block your view."

"Cogsworth!" Belle finally stressed his name loudly enough to catch his attention.

"I trust Adam's judgement, and I ask you to do the same."

"You of all people Belle, I thought you would at least listen to reason." Cogsworth huffed impatiently, "Well, I _hate_ to be the one to inform you this, but Denise was caught this very morning eavesdropping on a conversation her father and I were having in his office."

Belle turned to give her daughter a surprised look and asked, "Is that so?"

Denise squirmed in her chair and swallowed hard, "Yes, Momma, its true."

"See, one day with that devious scoundrel and she's already sneaking about like a fox!" his scolding continued, feeling just a bit justified in doing so. Belle tuned most of it out, as she cocked her head and listened to him going on, with a quiet half smirk. Wasn't she forever finding Cogsworth lurking about in the hallways, sneaky up on people and poking his nose into _their_ business?

For that matter, it seemed to Belle, almost everyone in the castle had a weakness for listening in on conversations that weren't theirs, and yet, Cogsworth's worried that Denise picked up this bad habit from a hunk of metal that is stuck yards away from their home and chained to a wall?

"We haven't had an incident like this since the missing cookie caper from… w-w-way back, last year!" Cogsworth went on, "We stopped that by nipping it in the bud, didn't we? That's what we need to do here, Belle; **nip, it, in, the, bud**!"

Belle couldn't help but sigh. She knew Cogsworth's heart was in the right place, she knew he only meant to protect her children from a perceived danger. And, even though, she herself, wasn't too terribly excited about her kids going to Forte's cavern, she chose to have faith in her husband's decision. 'The enchantress put the entire castle under a dark curse to teach the master as lesson.' Belle thought to herself with a half smile. 'Perhaps, he learned the lesson all too well,'

Finally, when it seemed Cogsworth had run out of things to say, Belle, nodded her head and thanked him for his diligence. After he left the library, she turned her attention again to Denise who sat there, quietly awaiting her punishment. "Well, young lady," Belle used the sternest tone she muster. "What do you have to say for yourself?"

Denise hung her head once again, "I know it was wrong, but when I asked Cogsworth why he doesn't want me seeing Forte, he wouldn't give me an answer; well, not a real one anyway. He just said stuff like, Forte's a bad influence, or Forte's no good. If Forte really is everything Cogsworth says he is, why can't Cogsworth tell me what makes him so?"

Belle could understand what Denise was trying to say, and nodded. "But that's no excuse to sneak around and listen in on other people's conversations. Some times people, especially adults, say things that children aren't quite ready to comprehend. It doesn't mean you are stupid, or ignorant. But some things you just can't grasp until you have time and experience on your side."

"Yes, Momma," Denise humbly listened to her mother, hoping her punishment would be swift but maybe reasonably painless.

"Now young lady," the tone in Belle's voice let Denise know that her punishment _wasn't_ going to be pleasant. "You are not to leave this house for the rest of the day. After your daily lessons, you will then write for me, 'I should not listen in on other people's conversations,' one hundred times."

Suddenly, Denise breathed a sigh of relief. Writing one sentence one hundred times isn't that bad. Then her mother finished explaining the rest of the punishment. "I want you to write this in french, in english, in german, and in…"

Denise felt like a ton of bricks had just been dropped on her; she held her breath, praying her mother would not include, 'latin'.

Belle paused briefly, giving her daughter a chance to prepare herself for the worst. "…Latin."

"One hundred times, _each_?" Denise dreadfully repeated.

"Yes, one hundred times, each." Belle sternly stated without a hint of pity. "Now, let's continue with our lessons, shall we."

Together they all opened their books ready to study, suddenly, Denise looked up from her book. "Momma, did you know Forte stopped Poppa from killing himself?"

Belle's mouth flew open, "What?" she quietly asked.

"That's what Poppa and Cogsworth were talking about," the young girl went on to explain. "Poppa said that on the first night of the curse, he was going to take his father's sword and run himself through, but Forte stopped him. He said Forte didn't give him 'hope' but gave him, 'courage,' instead."

Belle's mouth closed just slightly, as she looked out into the distance and could almost see several invisible pieces of a magnificent and elaborate puzzle come together. "Children," she went on to explain. "Some times, events mold and create friendships that otherwise would have never existed. I'm beginning to see why your father has always looked out for Forte, and in a way I'm beginning to understand Forte a little better. He has his good qualities, like apparently knowing what to say to your father. Cogsworth is a good friend as well, and both men should to be respected. However, where Cogsworth has earned our trust, Forte has yet to prove he deserves that honor."

"Momma," Adam spoke up. "How does someone earn trust?"

Belle gave her son's question a thoughtful moment or two before answering. "Time, and experience. The more you get to know Monsieur Forte the more you will see whether or not he can be trusted. Its up to you however, to only give him a little bit of your heart at a time so that in case, if he's _not_ trustworthy, you won't be too badly hurt."

Both children's faces brightened as they took in life lesson their mother had just taught them. "Now Denise, please begin reading on the top of page 44."

Meanwhile, in the castle's kitchen sat Mrs. Potts, Cogsworth and Lumiere drinking tea. "Ah stop your grossing!" Mrs. Potts scorned as she poured Cogsworth another cup."Belle and the Master have done a fine job of raising their children, and I'm not about to start questioning their child rearing skills now."

"Yes, Cogsworth, just let it go," Lumiere added, as he took a sip from his own cup. "You are making way too much out of nothing my friend."

Cogsworth snorted indignantly as he vigorously stirred a teaspoon of sugar into his tea. "Let it go!?"

He continued stirring his cup without slowing down his pace, "I guess _some_ people here, don't want to see these children grow up to be pillars of society!" He stirred his tea some more, stirring and stirring until it began to splash over the sides of the cup.

"Do you honestly imagine letting the children visit a poor soul like Forte, is going to ruin them for life?" Lumiere skeptically questioned, though he half way knew Cogsworth would only use this opportunity to rant and rave even longer.

"Well, of course it will!" Cogswort snapped, as he was about to finally take a sip of his tea, sat it back down with a thud, spilling even more tea into its saucer. "I took it upon myself to do a little investigating and I've learned a lot about our colleague Forte, since we came out of the enchantment. Did you know he's suspected of robbing one of his former employers?"

Lumiere shook his head, "I've learned form experience not to believe everything I hear, especially when it comes to another person's reputation. Un… less, of course, there is sound evidence."

Lumiere paused, giving Cogsworth a chance to back his accusations against Forte. The pudgy man shuffled his feet under his seat, looking down at his half empty cup and fully filled saucer of tea, "Well, no, not exactly."

The suave frenchman leaned back in his chair, "So in other words, you do not know for certain whether Monsieur Forte is guilty or not, yes?"

Cogsworth pouted his lips and murmured, "Not specifically. But we do have his former apprentice, Fife, who informs us how manipulating and devious that scoundrel was, em, is."

Lumiere slowly nodded his head thoughtfully, "True."

Mrs. Potts, who had mostly stayed quiet during this entire conversation had just about enough. "Haven't either of you learned anything!?"

Both men turned to look at her with rather shocked expressions. She in turn glared at both of them one at a time. "People change; they really _can_ and **do** change! The Maestro wasn't all that bad before, and he's not all that evil now. I think it will do him good to have some company once in a while other than the Master, and especially children."

"Humph," Cogsworth snorted again, looking brash as ever. "I don't recall you ever sending any of your offspring to visit the, _maestro._"

"They never asked to," Mrs. Potts huffed in frustration. "But Denise and Adam have, and apparently from the sounds of it, they seem to enjoy going to visit the _maestro_. Now, if you will excuse me, I have some sowing to catch up on."

Mrs. Potts didn't really have any sowing to catch up, but she knew if she'd stayed longer things might be said that would later be hard to take back. Both men knew this, but respected, and to a point, appreciated her decision to leave. Once she left though, Cogsworth was right back on the topic.

"Forte is like a new toy for Denise and Adam," the englishmen went on to explain. "He's shiny, he talks, he plays music, and he can make green glowing music notes, so of course they're fascinated with him."

"Eh, what can you do?" Lumiere asked rhetorically, expecting Cogsworth would eventually accept things as they were and leave them alone.

"Ah-ha!"Cogsworth eyes brighten as an idea struck his head. "I know exactly what we can do! We will keep Denise and Adam **so** busy that they will _never_ have time to go traipsing down to the cavern again!"

"Oh no," Lumiere profusely shook his head, "No bon ami; not 'we,' just you this time. I'm staying far way from this."

"Fine then," the castle's head butler stood up from his chair, feeling somewhat victorious, believing he had found the solution to this latest perceived emergency. "I'll take care of it myself. Starting tomorrow, I'll make sure Denise and Adam never again have a moment of free time as long as they live in this castle!"

Lumiere said nothing, but kept shaking his head as he finished his tea, wondering if Cogsworth was even remotely aware of just how foolish he sounded.

xXxXx

Once the day's lessons were over and Denise was left to complete her penalty, Belle had Mrs. Potts watch Adam for her while she stepped out for a moment. She left the castle without telling anyone where she was going, but did assure Mrs. Potts she would return soon. She walked down the lonely beaten path, past the paseo wall and to the cavern's entrance. She walked inside, passed the wine barrels and down the steps. She raised her lantern and saw the familiar, foreboding metallic face gazing down on her. "Belle," the voice sang out affectionately, as he offered her a flirtatious smile. "Long time, no see."

* * *

**PLEASE SEND A REVIEW AND LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU THINK. I AM SUCH AN ATTENTION HOUND, AND MY EGO COULD USE THE BOOST! :)**


	8. Chapter 8

CH8

Belle smiled kindly back at the face, "Yes, Monsieur Forte, it has been a while."

Forte was certain, Belle was the only person he didn't mind, calling him Monsieur. Then again, she could have called him all sorts of names, and he would only secretly swoon at the sound of her tender voice. He thought it odd, he should find himself practically giddy over this lovely, young, fawn of a woman. When he was human, he was typically drawn to women with more girth; but now that he was no longer bothered with such lustful, carnal worries as procreation, none of that kind of nonsense ever filled his head. Well, not unless he deliberately tried to think about them.

No, with Belle, his attraction to her wasn't sexual, nor brotherly, or even fatherly. He determined it must be the way Beast, that is when Adam was Beast, was forever going on about the young lady's love for knowledge. A woman who could actually think? Forte figured there had to be some out in the world, but the odds of finding one? And of all people to woo and win such a woman, it **had** to be the beast. /sigh/

"Bonjour," she continued on with the pleasantries.

"Bonjour," he coolly returned, studying her closely with his smirk like grin.

"Mmm," she nervously began the conversation, "You've been getting quite a bit of company lately haven't you, Monsieur Forte?"

"Yes," he looked away briefly, raising his head and looking around his room. "I'm beginning to think I should just turn this old place into a public house. Set up some tables and chairs, maybe put a dart board over there… we have the wine already of course."

Belle politely chuckled at his joking. "Do the children bother you?"

"Not at all," Forte assured her. "I figured that was why you came to see me; you want to know if you have anything to fear by allowing Denise and Adam to come here isn't it?"

"Y-yes, partly," she paused walking closer to the organ. "But my main reason for coming today was to, to thank you Monsieur Forte."

If Forte had a heart it would have stopped right there and then. He stared at her, profoundly confused. "I, I don't understand," he finally murmured.

"Today I discovered what you did for Prince Adam that first night. I finally see why you mean so much to him." Belle then smiled, as Forte's hard metal face seemed to soften.

"You saved my husband's life all those years ago, which means you also saved me and because of you, Denise and young Adam came to be." Belle's eyes filled with admiration, "I am in your debt, Monsieur Forte. You know, in a round about way, you saved everyone in the castle."

"Pah, try telling that to anyone else." Forte's posture sank as he rolled his eyes. "You have one nervous breakdown and suddenly you have committed an _unpardonable_ sin."

Belle couldn't help but smirk. "Well, if you had been on the receiving end of your 'nervous breakdown,' you might understand why."

"Hmm, I suppose," he reluctantly acknowledged.

"Forte," Belle softly called his name. "I forgive you."

"I know; and Belle…" Forte face was soft once more as he looked tenderly upon Belle's face. "Thank you."

xXxXxXxXx

The next morning, Denise and Adam were again up at the crack of dawn, but this time Cogsworth was waiting for them in the hallway, "_Good_ morning children!" the man chirped with gusto.

"G-good morning, Cogsworth," Denise replied questioningly. "Why are _you_ up so early?"

"Oh I have a big day in store for you two," he announced cheerfully. "We are going to have so much fun today!"

Adam and Denise looked at each other, not sure what to think. But if Cogsworth said they were going to have fun, then who were they to put up a fight? "First, we're going to help Andre the baker this morning, and children, do you know what that means?"

Adam shook his head as they began to walk to the kitchen, rubbing his eyes and sounding positively disappointed. "Does it mean we get to eat... _bread_?"

Cogsworth just assumed the child's sarcastic tone was due to just waking up. "Of course it means we get to eat bread, but… we get it fresh out of the oven with fresh butter, just churned this morning!"

"Oh, that sounds… nice," Denise tried her best to sound appreciative but with little success.

"Then, I thought we could take any of the bread that burned or is a day old and go outside and use it to feed the birds," Cogsworth continued, as they entered the kitchen.

Denise and Adam both sounded much more enthused by the second idea, as they were now walking up to the oven brick wall where Andre was busy at work.

"Bonjour, Andre," the children both chimed in as they looked inside the oven just as he open the door and the room was filled with the enticing scent of freshly baked bread. Maybe Cogsworth's idea of eating bread fresh out of the oven wasn't so bad after all.

Afterwards, they left with a small basket of unwanted bread pieces and scraps, and took a pleasant stroll up to the stone bridge which crossed the pond where their mother had first taught their father to skate. They began to tear off bits of bread and throw it down to the swans, geese and ducks that swam in the water, as well as other birds that flittered on the nearby banks. After that, they walked over onto the bank, and held small piles of bread crumbs in their hands, allowing the birds to come up to them and eat from their hands. It really was so much fun, and Cogsworth wondered why he, nor anyone else, in the castle had thought of doing this with the children before.

"Oh your mother and father would have such wonderful times out here," Cogsworth went on to explain. "Especially in the winter time, with freshly fallen snow everywhere. Ah, it was truly, magical."

Denise couldn't help but smile from ear to ear, watching the birds come up to her brother and take the bread crumbs out of his hand. They even began to land and sit on his shoulders, and hover around his feet, as he just stood there, not sure what to do next. "This is certainly better than waisting you time inside that musty old cave isn't it children."

Denise's smile vanished in a flash. "Is, is that why you brought us out here today? To keep us from going to see Forte?"

Cogsworth felt as if he had just been caught with his pants down around his knees. "Um, well, that is to say, um…"

Denise then remembered what her mother had just said yesterday about respecting Cogsworth and that he had already earned their trust. She knew he wasn't a mean man, and he had always looked out for her and her brother's best interests; so why did it seem like he was being so underhanded now?

"Cogsworth," Denise implored with all earnesty, "just tell me what is so wrong with me going to visit the Maestro?"

Oh how he wish he could just tell her what the letters from Forte's old colleagues and acquaintances said. Claims of an illicit affair with a married woman, and of stealing a sizable amount of money and jewels from one of Rome's most notable opera houses. But one does not tell a child of such sordid things. Denise deserved to hold onto her innocence for as long as she could. Her and her brother deserved a happy and healthy childhood; something their father had lost so early in life. Their father had been dealt a terrible blow at such a young age, with his parents dying when he was young and all; not to mention spending his puberty as a subhuman creature. No, the Master's children would be spared from as much of the world's harsh realities as Cogsworth could protect them from, including getting mixed up with this hooligan, 'the maestro.'

"Cogsworth," again, she pleaded, "if there is something I should know about Maestro Forte?"

What would he do? Tell her that the man who is no longer a man, once stole cash from the opera house's box office and jewels from its wardrobe department? That he slept with the opera house's concierge's wife, then ran away with her? 'Where's the proof?' she would undoubtedly ask, to which he would have to tell her there is none. But in his gut, Cogsworth knew these accusations were true; he just knew it. If there _had_ been proof, the slick thief would have never made it to the castle in the first place. Instead, he would be locked up in chains, likely to a wall. How ironic Cogsworth thought, there really is such a thing as poetic justice.

"Denise," he began to think up of something to tell her, "It's, it's not so much Forte, as it is having you and your brother spending too much time inside a dark and gloomy cave. It's… _very_ unhealthy. You should be in the open air, like this, enjoying the sun and fresh air. Spending too much time in Forte's cave will just turn you into a depressed old fuss-bucket; just like Forte!"

Well, at least what he said made better sense than what he was telling her before, Denise thought to herself. Not that she had any intention of stopping her visits to Forte, she didn't mind the dark gloominess one bit. On the other hand, if Cogsworth wanted to spend his time showing her and her brother what their parents had done, that was fine too; she was more than happy to follow along. As far as Denise was concerned, she had found the perfect balance between both Cogsworth's and Forte's worlds. She could respect both men, as well as enjoy spending time with each of them and all would be well.

Soon it would be time for their daily lessons, and then she would pay a visit to her new found friend Forte. It was going to be that simple.


	9. Chapter 9

CH9

The day's lessons went by quickly enough and soon Denise and Adam were ready to set off on their own for another day of adventure. But just as they were about to leave the castle, Cogworth popped up from nowhere. "Well children, now that you lessons are over, lets go see what your grandfather Maurice is doing."

Young Adam eagerly responded to Cogsworth idea with a happy cheer, while Denise just shook her head. "I can't now Cogsworth, I'm off to see the Maestro."

She continued to walked past him without a second glance. Cogsworth went into a near panic, seeing that Denise wasn't going to go along with his plan as easily as he had hoped for. "But, but, your grandfather will be _so_ disappointed, Denise. He is currently working on a new invention and said he will be testing it out today. He said he really hoped you'd come and see it."

The truth is, Cogsworth had no idea how Maurice would really take Denise not being there, but he had to tell her _something_ to get her to come along.

Denise paused and turned; she didn't want to disappoint her grandfather Maurice. "Oh, well in that case…"

"Excellent," Cogsworth interrupted taking her by the hand and rushed them both out the door. "After that if there's any time, we'll go down to the gardens and pick some lovely flowers to make a table setting for tonight's dinner."

They went down to an old barn that had been nicely converted into Maurice's workshop. From several feet away they could hear him and his apprentice, Chip, banging and clanking things around, not to mention the one or two colorful words Maurice shouted out in frustration as he, yet again, lost grip of his tool ,making it fall into a hard to reach place. "A-hem," Maurice and Chip heard from behind, as the door to the barn opened.

"We have children present, gentlemen, so please, _watch the language_," Cogsworth announced, as if he needed to remind Maurice what words he was allowed to use around his own grandchildren.

"Oh, oh good to see you Denise and Adam, come in, come in," their grandfather spiritedly welcomed them into his workshop. "Me and Chip were just about to put this contraption to the test."

Chip who was now roughly 20, was a tall, handsomely built man with shoulder length sandy blond hair, that he wore in a ponytail. He was trying to grow out a bread to look more many, something his mother, Mrs. Potts, detested. 'It's a crying shame to have such a lovely face as yours covered up with all that hair!' she would complain to Chip from time to time.

The two men were standing in the middle of the shop, one on each side of a metal square shaped box that was about four feet tall, three feet wide, and about three feet in length. It had metal hoses attached to its top and bottom. It appeared to have a door made of metal that opened from top to bottom. Under the machine was a small fire, and above the machine looked to be a large container of water, which looked to hold at least 20 gallons. "This here machine, is what I have decided to call an, auto-matic-dish-washing-instrument," Maurice proudly announced, as he motioned for Chip to open the door to the machine.

"See… you pull out this wooden crate like so, and we put dishes in here, like so…" their grandfather went on to explain. Chip then began to load the machine with plates and bowls, as well as glassware, to demonstrate how the machine would work.

"We then put the crate back into the machine this way; close the door, then we…" Maurice began to fiddle with some knobs.

"OK Chip, pull the lever!" Maurice ordered excitedly. Chip followed his order and pulled the lever, which caused water from the above reservoir to come pouring down the connecting metal hoses into the machine. Soon after, the machine began to hum and purr, as steam began to emanate from the machine's seams.

"It's working Maurice!" Chip shouted for joy, "I think you've done it this time!"

"By Jove, Chip, I think you're right!" Maurice agreed as he practically began to jump up and down for joy. "We did it Chip! We've got a winner!"

Denise and Adam joined in the cheering, feeling their grand-poppa's excitement. But no sooner had they started to shout and cheer, the machine began to jiggle and shake; its humming and purring turned to grinding and squeaking. "Is it supposed to be making that sound?" Cogsworth wondered as Maurice's expression, seemed suddenly, quite alarmed.

"Oh no… not again!" Maurice whispered with dread, then shouted. "Oh no! **No, no, no!**"

The machine was now hobbling out of control as the steam quickly turned into tiny water spouts of boiling water that squirted and burned as it spat at everyone in reach of its projection. "Pull the other lever, Chip!" Maurice yelled as he tried to turn the machine's knobs again, only to have it break off in his hand. From inside the machine, you could hear the crashing and breaking of glass and china. Chip pulled the other lever, in an attempt to stop the flow of water going into the machine, but the chain leading to the reservoir snapped. There was now no way to stop the water from making its way into the machine.

"Quick!" Maurice pointed his finger to the wall closest to the children. "Find my screwy-thingamajig. It's, it's over there, in one of those boxes."

Immediately Denise and Adam began to rummage through the boxes along the wall, looking for grand-poppa's, 'screwy-thingamajig' even though they had no real clue what grand-poppa's 'screwy-thingamajig' looked like. "Is this it?" Adam asked, as he raised up a long sharp looking tool that looked very much like a corkscrew.

"No, that's not it," Maurice gasped as he hold the machine in place, trying to keep it from running out of the shop on its initiative."It's looks just like that though, but there's a flat 'whatsit' on the bottom."

"Oh," Adam replied, as if he knew exactly what that meant. "I'll keep looking."

As both children continued their search, Maurice began to shake his head and yelled out to Chip. "We have no choice Chip, get Monsieur Abbattre."

Chip nodded and reached behind a nearby bench and retrieved an enormous sledgehammer that Maurice and Chip had named, Monsieur Abbattre. The young man stood in front of the out of control machine, threw the hammer behind his shoulder and with a forceful thrust, it went sailing over Chip's head and crashed into the machine with a mighty ker-pow! Instantly the machine stopped moving as it sort of plunked down onto the floor, and the last sound it made was a loud whistling whine that turned into a sad mournful gurgle. Finally, silence as a few wisps of vapor escaped from the machines seams. Slowly, Maurice opened the door and hot water gushed forth, making all three men to step back so not be get burned. Pieces of broken glass and china also poured out from the machine. Maurice bent down and picked up half a plate, and with sad, wide eyes, he sighed. "I'm so glad these aren't people anymore."

Chip quietly pulled out the crate, looking at the carnage of broken china. "I know these are just ordinary pieces of dinnerware now, but I can't help but feel like they were family to me."

"I know, son, I know." Maurice consoled his young apprentice with a gentle pat on the back.

Meanwhile, as she had been looking for her grand-poppa's tool, Denise came up on an interesting box. It was a narrow rectangular wooden box, with "FORTE" written on top. "Grand-poppa?" she asked as she picked up the box and began to carry it over for Maurice to see.

"What's this?" she brought the box to him, but her grandfather was far too occupied to pay any serious attention to her.

"Hmm? Oh that, uh," he glanced up just for a second. "That's Forte's remaining few pieces."

Denise looked at the closed box in her hand, as if she had found a treasure chest, while Cogsworth's attention was solely focused on Adam who was poking around the machine, eager to see the damage. "Young man, get away from there! Do you _want_ to get burned? **Put that** **down**; don't touch that! You're going to cut yourself!"

"You mean, this is all there is to it?" Denise wondered somewhat perplexed by the size. "I imagined the pieces would be huge!"

Maurice who was only paying half attention to her, offered her little explanation. "No, we just kept out some of the stops, they're called.

"Oh," Denise quietly marveled. But why was this box left in here, inside Grand-poppa's workshop?

'No, it should be in Forte's possession,' Denise thought to herself.

"Young man," Denise could hear Cogsworth growling impatiently. "I'm not telling you again, if you keep messing with this stuff you going to get hur… **Ou!** that's _really_ hot!" he yelped after touching one of the machines hot metal hoses. Cogsworth suddenly looked around the workshop, something, or more exact, some_one_ was missing. "Denise?"

xXxXxXx

Denise rushed to see Forte as fast as she could with his box under her arm. She could hear the music from outside the cave; a heavy and dramatic tune that she sincerely hoped was _not_ what he was writing for her. "Maestro, Maestro!" she shouted excitedly as she came dashing down his stairway with lantern and box in either hand.

Forte instantly stopped playing, as a horrid scowl possessed his face. His concentration was yet again disrupted by an intruder. "What is it now?" he growled before he even saw who it was coming down the stairs.

Denise froze in place, halfway down the stairway. She had expected Forte to be just as happy to see her as she was to be there, but obviously this was not the case. "I-I didn't mean to disturb you Maestro."

Forte then recognized Denise's voice and in an instant he stuffed his anger inside and turned on the charm. "Ah Denise my child, I did not know it was you. Please, come inside."

Denise sighed in relief, then continued to walk toward Forte. "Bonjour, Maestro, I found something that belongs to you."

Forte smiled, quickly imagining the girl must have found some of his older works still left in the castle. What else could it be?

"I found some of your pieces in this box," she announced, holding the box up, for Forte to see.

"My dear, _thank you_," he sincerely fawned, assuming by 'pieces' she had meant, pieces of his older work. This was the closest feeling he had to someone ever giving him a gift, even if it was something that had already belonged to him. "Where on earth did you find them?"

"I found the box inside Grand-poppa Maurice's workshop," she explained as she looked for a place to put the box down. She chose to place it on the cave's floor since there was no bench in front of the organ.

Forte looked confused, "Hmm, odd place for them to be," he mentioned aloud, still thinking that all inside the box were papers.

"I know, I thought so too." Denise eagerly agreed as she began to open the box. "They're a part of you, so they should be with you."

Forte felt his soul rise up inside him. "Dear Denise, you truly **do** understand me, don't you? My music _is_ me."

Denise stopped what she was doing for a moment, pondering what he meant by that. "Uh, yah." she halfway agreed.

"Well, here they are," she opened the the box, reached inside and pulled out a black cylinder object that was about 8 inches long. On one of the ends of the cylinder was an ivory colored knob with a number and word written on it. She held it up to him, smiling brightly expecting him to return her joy.

Forte took one look at what Denise held in her hand, and sank into his usual depressed state. "Oh, _**those**_ pieces."

Denise suddenly realized that Forte was not as impressed with her find as she was. "These are the rest of you Maestro Forte, I thought you'd like to have them."

"Child," Forte heavily sighed and began to explain. "Does one cling to their toenail clippings? Or cherish a tooth that served its purpose? If someone has lost their finger due to misfortune, do they keep the dead digit as a keepsake?"

"So you mean these stops aren't important to you?" she asked curiously.

"Well, to be honest, they're nice to have, but I've learned to work with what I have." Forte admitted.

"What are they used for, Forte?" she wondered as she began to examine the two others left in the box.

"They used to open the airflow which then increases the power my pipes can emit. Have you ever heard anyone say, 'she pulled out all the stops?'" he asked inquiringly.

"I think so," Denise answered, trying to recall any specific time when she had actually heard that said.

"What that means, is all the energy and effort one can put forth is put to use," he then explained.

Forte's lesson made sense to her. She nodded her head understanding. She then looked at the console of the keyboard and saw that there were several stops already in place. She also happened to notice the three open holes where obviously these remaining three stops went. "So you don't actually _need_ all these?"

"Well, as I said earlier, they'd be nice to have, but I make do without them. I'd much rather be without them, so insure my present state, than take the risk of adding even one more and returning to my former being." The organ confessed.

"But Forte, if you were human, then you'd live in the castle with us; then Cogsworth wouldn't keep me from visiting you." Denise explained, hoping Forte would find this enticing enough to give up his existence as a musical instrument.

The face raised itself again to its fullest haughty stature. "What ever do you mean, 'Cogsworth wouldn't keep you from visiting me?'"

"Well, all day today, Cogsworth has been coming up with things for us to do, just to keep us from coming here. He says its not healthy for us to be in a dark, musty cave like this one." Denise went on to say, as she put the lid back on the box and moved it to under Forte's keyboard.

"Oh he did, now?" Forte sneered. He knew the condition of the cave had nothing to do with Cogsworth's distain for the children coming to see him, it was strictly personal. As far as Forte was concerned, no one was going to treat _him_ like a leaper; not even one of the Master's favorites. Immediately, he began to scheme a plan to knock that smug Cogsworth right off his high horse.

"Ha, the nerve of a servant assuming he could order a princess around!" The metal face smiled broadly then congratulated her,

"Ah, it seems though, you put good ole Coggsy in his place didn't you? Well, good for you, child, good for you!"

Denise had a puzzled look on her face. "What do you mean?"

"Well, you are here now aren't you?" Forte asked rhetorically. "You must have given that man a real piece of your mind. Well, I know that's what your father would have done."

"Really?" Denise seemed a bit confused. That didn't sound like what her father would have done at all; but then again, Cogsworth never told _him_ where he could and could not go.

Forte smiled to himself; nothing was more simple than to toy with a child's mind. "At your age my dear, your father was the master of the house. He knew his place was to lead and direct his servants, just as it is your place too."

"That's not what Momma or Poppa say," Denise quietly argued back.

"Perhaps they didn't want to burden you with such awesome responsibility; once you start giving orders, people will start coming to you for advice and direction. You'll never be left alone." There, that sounded plausible Forte thought to himself.

Denise thought about what he said for a minute. Then, just to really send the idea home, Forte cruelly pricked Denise's self esteem. "I bet you mother and father just want to protect you. You know, so you can enjoy the freedom of mediocrity as long as possible."

"I'm not, mediocre." Denise argued, though her tone hinted of doubt.

"Of course you're not, child," the master of manipulation continued to build his wordy web of half truths.

"The only ones with jurisdiction over you are your mother and father. Everyone else however, must do as you say. You see Denise," he went on. "You have the divine right to decide what's best; not some petty servant. The only people with more authority than you, is your father and your mother."

Now, to tweak her innocent young ego. "Now, _although_ your mother Belle, married into her position, _you_ my child, were **born** to rule."

Denise's eyes grew wide. She certainly never saw things this way before. "I see."

Forte's evil grin stretched across his hardened face. 'There; that should make things quite interesting for Cogsworth,' he thought to himself.

"Now Denise, if you don't mind, I do really have to have to get back to my work," he softly yet firmly told her.

"Oh," Denise collected her thoughts. "In that case Maestro, I will see you later. Au revoir."

Forte couldn't help but laugh in his throat, "No doubt you will. Au revoir, my child."

**Thank you for the kind words, Sophia, DisneyGurl12, and benedictbrothersfan. Its good to know that there are a few out there who enjoy the story so far. :)**

**And yes, I know I made Forte a real A-hole this time; but he is a complex person.**


	10. Chapter 10

CH10

For the rest of the afternoon and into the evening, Denise pondered the things the maestro had told her. It was as if Forte had opened her eyes to a part of life she had never taken notice to before; like looking into the dark and uncertain shadows that lingered silently in the hallways when everything was still and quiet. She had always known they were there and as long as she didn't study them too hard, they were perfectly harmless. But if she gazed upon them for too long, they grew into hideous monsters, ready to lunge and attack. 'You were born to rule,' 'Your mother and father want you to enjoy the freedom of mediocrity,' and 'You have the divine right to decide what is best,' kept rolling in her head until she could barely stand it.

That night, dinner was informal and for all in the castle to come and partake. The dining room was filled with all sorts of people, mostly sitting at the grand table, as a small quartet led by Fife, played quietly in the background. Everyone was happily enjoying the late summer sunset and talking of how the leaves would soon be changing. Maurice and Chip sat side by side of each other, laughing heartily, telling every one of the day's earlier events. Even Prince Adam and Belle joined in the laughter as Maurice described the details of the fiasco.

Denise meanwhile, poked haplessly at her food. Was she really living a life of mediocrity?

For as long as she could remember, everyone talked of how brave and decisive her father had always been; and how he had grown into a man of great humility and yet great authority. Could she ever live up to such a living example of majestic strength.? Denise began to wonder if father was proud of her, did he see her as a born leader, or did he think she wasn't capable to rule like he could at her age.

"Poppa," she began to quietly ask. "How old were you when you began to rule the castle?"

Prince Adam looked up from his plate to meet his daughters eyes. "It was shortly before I turned six years old."

"It was such a heavy load for your father to carry," Mrs. Potts began to tell Denise.

"The flu came and took away so many of our loved ones that winter, your grandparents included; as well as my dear husband, Henry."

"Were you a good leader father?" Denise went on to hesitantly ask.

Her father glanced down at his plate with a deep sense of humility. "I'm afraid the answer to that question is, no. I was a terrible leader, Denise; just _terrible_."

"Ah Master," Lumiere spoke up, trying to comfort his friend. "It wasn't really your fault. We, your servants, we were the adults in the house, and really we should have been better guardians. If we had, you wouldn't have grown so sp.. oil… eh, what I mean to say is…"

Prince Adam merely chuckled with humility. "You can say it, Lumiere; _spoiled_. I was a **spoiled rotten little prince**!"

Denise noticed how the older servants, the ones who had been here before the enchantment, seemed to now have a nervous look on their faces, as did Prince Adam. "It's not your fault guys," he went on to encourage them. "I remember my parents let me get away with pretty much anything when they were alive, so naturally when they died so suddenly, you didn't know what else to do with me."

He then patted Lumiere on the back, "Remember the time when I got mad at you for not having any blue ink so I made you drink all that green ink?"

The frenchman reeled back in his chair with a ghastly look on his face. "Oh heavens yes! To this day, I can't stand the smell of green ink."

He then sniggered a bit with a smirk, "Sire, do you remember, making Cogsworth eat the mud pies you made, worms and all?"

Prince Adam's face turned bright pink as he rolled his eyes, embarrassed to the bone. "Ack! I had forgotten about that. Hey, do you recall when I hid behind that door over there, and when Cogsworth came around the corner, I jumped out and scarred the wits out of him!"

Everyone in the room began to laugh except for maybe Belle who just sat there looking uncomfortable, hoping her children weren't getting any bright ideas.

"So is it true, that the servants have to do what we say? No matter how ridiculous or even cruel?" Denise uneasily asked, realizing the injustice this might cause.

Prince Adam took a deep breath, "Denise, we a direct blood line to the royal house of Bourbon, which means we are monarchs. Our country lives under the rule of 'absolute monarchy' which gives us the legal right to force anyone to do anything we tell them."

Adam then sighed, "I am one of the few, if not only monarch in France to be given a chance to see the err of absolute monarchy, and given a chance to change my ways. I pray that I now am an example to you and your brother; to show you that having absolute power does NOT give us the right to hurt or abuse. Our power should only be to help, or protect, or save. Do you understand?"

"Poppa," she continued to clear up any misunderstandings. "Does that mean Adam and I are masters of this house too?"

Her father softly shook his head, "Well, technically yes, however, that kind of power is very tempting to abuse Denise. Someone as young as you might not know how to handle that kind of responsibility."

So, Forte was right after all. Momma and Poppa did think she was mediocre. Denise's face scorned, "I would make a good ruler. I certainly know I wouldn't make my servants drink ink, or eat mud pies!"

Belle gasped in shock, "Denise what's gotten into you?"

Cogsworth, raised his napkin over his mouth, pretending to cough out the name, _*forte*_

Denise heard him and proudly declared, "Yes, Cogsworth you are right, Maestro Forte told me everything!"

"He told me that I was born to rule, it is my divine right." She then gave Cogsworth a quick, haughty glare.

"He also told me that _servants_ don't to tell princesses where they can and cannot go! So stop making up things for me to do, because I won't do them any more!"

"That is enough Denise," Prince Adam's sharply commanded. "We'll talk about this later."

Denise threw herself back into her chair, and gruffly retorted, "Yes, sir."

Belle and Prince Adam just looked at each other in bewilderment not believing this was their darling Denise. Everyone close enough to hear this outburst, became quiet and still and the hush soon filled the room. All had looks of quiet shock or amazement knowing this was Denise's first contemptuous tantrum. Cogsworth however looked liked the cat that swallowed the canary. "Oh if only _someone_ had just warned you what would happen if she spent too much time with Monsieur Forte. Oh, that's right, **I did**!"

"Not now!" Lumiere impatiently snapped under his breath. No more was said after that, as the atmosphere in the room turned quite heavy and gloomy. When dinner was over, Mrs. Potts hoped things would soon get back to normal. It was almost time for Belle to retell Denise and Adam's favorite story. But, when she looked around expecting to see them snuggling next to their mother, only Adam was there by Belle's side. Just then, from out of the corner of her eye, she saw Denise storming up the stairs. Mrs. Potts rushed over to the stairway as quickly as she could before Denise had gone too far up the stairs. "Dear child," she beseeched Denise to turn around.

"You've never missed story time before. Are you really sure you want to start now?"

Denise stopped in her tracks and turned around and sighed. "I just want to go to bed early tonight Mrs. Potts."

Mrs. Potts had seen her share of children reach and overcome childhood hurdles; dear Denise wasn't her first and wouldn't be her last. But, still it was always hard on the heart to see one of the little ones work their way out of their shell so then they could then someday soar like the great eagle they were intended to become. "All right, love."

She called out, "I'll let your mother and father know."

Story time that evening just felt off to everyone, especially to the royal family. Little Adam never really seemed to get into the story like he normally did, while Belle and the Prince, couldn't help but feel a bit worried for the daughter; had they made a mistake after all, in letting her visit the dark and gloomy being who was so notorious for manipulating?

Mrs. Potts however, along with many of the other members of the staff assured the young parents that Forte or not, this was just a part of Denise growing up. Except for Cogsworth who, one moment would seem genuinely concerned for his precious Denise and the next gloating over, yet again, being right about something.

Meanwhile, Denise had already got herself ready for bed and lay there alone in her bed, in the dark, watching the curtains gently blowing in the late summer's breeze. She knew she was in trouble, she knew how she acted was horrid. But how can she prove she isn't mediocre, if her parents won't even give her the right to even chose her own friends? She really wished she could just get up and go see her new found friend Forte. He wasn't sneaky like Cogsworth who made up things for her to do, just to make sure she'd stay where he put her. Forte was honest and sincere, he certainly didn't tell her who she could and could not see.

No doubt he would know what to say to her now, She just knew the Maestro would set things right inside her mind. Poppa said Forte always knew the right thing to say. He helped Poppa, maybe he'd help her too. He had been there for Poppa, maybe he could be there for her too. Moments passed, when suddenly Denise's bedroom door cracked open. "Denise?"

Denise sat up in her bed; it was her mother. "I'm awake, mother. Come in."

Belle walked inside, carrying a small lit candelabra. "Did you get enough to eat this evening chere fille? You barely touched your food."

"I'm fine momma," Denise quietly replied. Belle, set down on the edge of the bed next to her oldest child.

"Is everything all right?" she lovingly asked her daughter.

"Yes, Momma," Denise looked hard into her mother's eyes."Momma, do you think I'd be a good ruler. You know, like Poppa is?"

Belle smiled tenderly at her child. "Of course you will, my dear. You are smart, and courageous. You're kind and most important, you care about others."

Instantly, Belle saw the tension from Denise's face leave. "Thank you, Momma. And, you don't think I'm mediocre do you?"

"What," Belle broke into a soft chuckle, "Whatever gave you that idea?"

"Forte, says that maybe the reason why you and Poppa don't allow me to give any orders, is because you want me to enjoy the life of mediocrity."

'Ack, _Forte!_' Belle was getting tired of hearing that name.

"Well, I don't think Monsieur Forte, has the slightest idea what he's talking about." Belle confidently assured her daughter.

Denise felt like a great burden lifted from her chest. She enjoyed the long intense hug her mother bestowed upon her, just before she began to stroke Denise's head and look her in the eye. "Denise, maybe you shouldn't visit Forte for a while. He's… not very good around people."

Denise defiantly shook her head. It seemed the more people tried to stop her from seeing Forte, the more she yearned to be with him. "Momma, he's not the problem."

The last thing Belle wanted to do was upset her daughter, but maybe if she could just talk some sense into her. "I'm not saying he is Denise. However, when all is said and done, Forte has chosen by his own accord to be disconnected from the human world. By his own decision he refuses to live as a man and be a part of our home, our community."

Belle then took her daughter's face and held it gently in her hands as Denise looked into her eyes hopefully. "It's not right that he should then try to tell you how things should be in this house. Does that make sense to you?"

Denise then nodded her head, her mother did make sense. Belle smiled and kissed Denise softly on the cheek. "But Momma, will I still be able to visit the Maestro?"

Belle gave in and nodded her head as well. "But promise me, you will stop taking everything he says so seriously."

"Yes, momma; I promise."

Later that night, Denise still tossed and turned in her bed. 'Things would be so much better if Forte was just human,' Denise thought to herself. 'He'd be a part of our home, he'd be a part of our family again. Everyone would be happier that way.'

Suddenly her eyes flew wide open. 'Wait… _**that's it!**_'

Once again, Denise spent the night waking up every few hours, waiting for the right time to slip away. She wanted to get there before sunrise this time. before Cogsworth could stop her, even before anyone else who work at the winery was there. She listened carefully for the first sounds of mourning; a rooster crowing, and song birds waking up. Of heifers and nanny goats calling for their babies to feed. Now was the time to set Forte free.

She quietly slipped on her clothes, and slipped out of her bedroom. In the darkest hour of day she quietly walked the halls, and made it downstairs. She decided to sneak out of one of the dining room french windows just in case Andre was up baking bread this early in the morning. She was glad that her mother and father lived in such a quiet, peaceful kingdom that never needed a sentry on duty. Even so, she kept to the shadows as much as she could, praying she would not disturb any of the animals nearby.

Finally, she came to the cavern, and went inside. She wondered why her father hadn't done this before; obviously the best thing for Forte would be to turn him back, and Poppa even said power should be used for helping, protecting, or saving. Well, as far as Denise was concerned this was helping. When she came to the steps, she saw hundreds of tiny music notes floating like magical fairies in the air. Up and down, the twirled and bounced. She marveled at this wondrous sight, but knew she best be getting on with her mission. She looked up to see the organ's eyes were closed shut, obviously asleep.

'This is perfect!' she exclaimed to herself. 'Now I can really surprise him.'

Denise recalled exactly where she had left the box and quickly opened it up. Inside were the three last stops to complete Maestro Forte and return him to his human form. Her heart pounded so loudly in her chest that it surprised her it did not wake him up. Denise controlled her trembling hand and steadily put the first stop in. It needed a little push to fit inside, but with a steady hand, it fit right in. The organ remained motionless as its music tones fluttered and bobbed around Denise's head.

Then came the second stop, and it too went in without a hitch. Finally, the last stop, and Maestro Forte would be a man once more.

Denise gazed long and hard at the Forte's metal face for the last time. She would miss him in this state, grand and ornate being; larger than life itself.

"Maestro!" Denise shouted out with the glee. "Wake up!"

Forte's eyes opened, making the music notes disappear. "Who, who's there?" he softly wondered, thinking perhaps it had just been his imagination.

"Maestro, down here!" Denise called out. Forte leaned as far as he could, but she was too close for him to see that directly underneath.

"My dear," he continued to search for her with his eyes. "You're really taking this 'come and see me any time' thing far too literally."

She laughed a bit, "Well that won't be a problem anymore Maestro."

"And why is that?" he wondered loftily.

"Because," she leaned back far enough to him to see where she was, "I'm making you human again!"

Forte's eyes and mouth shot wide open. "God in heaven, child, _**NO!**_"

Denise didn't pay him any attention of course. She pushed the last stop in place and looked up to see what would happen next.

Forte prayed there was still enough time to undo what Denise had just done. With all his might and concentration, he tried to create a massive beam of energy which he could use, to yank those infernal stops out of his console, hoping this could stop the process, but alas it was too late, the transformation had begun. Instantly, Forte felt himself freeze in place as he began to be separated from the wonderful instrument he had come to identify as himself.

From Denise's view, she saw an incredible bolt of light and power made of gold and silver shafts. At first the shafts were bound together, but then gradually separated, revealing two separate individual things inside the brilliant ball of magical power. As the one solid object became two, the gold shafts recreated the organ, now much plainer and shorter than Denise remembered, and the silver shafts formed into the shape of a man who now was on his knees, slumped over and silent on the ground. Tall, and slender; he _was_ wearing fine clothes, just as he had insisted before. His head was covered by one of those long, regal, what she and her brother called, 'fussy-pants' wigs.

"M-m-maestro…?" Denise trembled as she approached him. He raised his head and suddenly Denise's jaw dropped open in shock. Yes, he was an awkward looking man, deep inset, black eyes, surrounded by puffiness and greyish-blackened eyelids; bony cheeks and wrinkled skin. His skin was… grey. No longer majestic and astounding, Forte was now, just a puny middle aged man who apparently never slept. But it was the expression he wore, that made Denise want to cry. For a second he looked dazed, and in shocked which quickly turned to dread and woe. Then almost instantly, rage! Murderous rage! "_What have you done! __**What have you done to me!?**__"_

His arms stretched out to grab the child around the neck and squeeze the life from her body. She had taken his life, it was only fair. "Aargh!" he yelled at her, as his face was now that of a demon!

Denise was terrified beyond belief. She wanted to run for her life, but was too afraid; instead, she barely managed to take a step or two backwards as Forte's hands clasp around her throat. Then, just as he should have squeezed, his hands fell into weightless fists onto her shoulders as he began to sob. "Get out!" he whispered, then shouted at the top of his lungs. "**GET OUT!**"

WELL, WE KNEW IT WAS BOUND TO HAPPEN SOONER OF LATER.

NOT DONE YET, STILL HAVE TO GET HIM SETTLED IN.

AND AS ALWAYS, REVIEWS AND FEEDBACK ARE ALWAYS NICE


	11. Chapter 11

CH11

Denise stumbled back, tripping on the stairs. She couldn't take her eyes off the nightmare she created; a now distraught Forte still knelt down on his knees, face buried in his hands, weeping like a man who had lost his true love. She stood, turned and began to run as fast as she could up the stairs and back to the castle. She couldn't get the sight or sounds she had just left behind in the cavern. She had never seen anyone so upset with her before; she had never seen anyone break down like that before. She only wanted to do what was best, she only wanted to make everything work out, so, why didn't it _work out_?

Maybe she wasn't cut out to lead after all; maybe she would never become a great ruler like her father. How was she going to tell them what she did? Would her father understand, would her mother still think she is kind and caring?

All Denise wanted to do was hide under the covers and pretend the whole thing never happened. She went to the same door where she had sneaked out earlier and made her way back inside. It was still fairly dark inside and she hoped no one would be up in this part of the castle just yet. She forced herself to stop crying, and began to creep back up the stairs; then suddenly, Lumiere appeared, coming down the stairs, bouncy and lively as can be. "Bonjour jeune dame, you are up awfully early this morning!"

Denise tried to play it cool, but with little success. The instant she opened her mouth, her crackling voice gave herself away. "Bon… jour…" was the most she could creak out before a flood of tears rolled out of her eyes. She went to embrace Lumiere for comfort, who quickly complied with returning the embrace.

"Your highness, what is wrong?" Lumiere softly called out, assuming it was likely just a bad nightmare that had disturbed her sleep.

"It's all my fault Lumiere, it's all my fault!" she confessed.

"Calm down child," he calmly told her patting the side of her head. "You're not making any sense. What's your fault?"

Denise caught her breath and began to explain, "Yesterday, I found a box that had Forte's last pieces, and, and, early this morning, I put the pieces back in place, and now he's human again."

Lumiere nodded his head, suspecting what the outcome might have been. "Did Forte ask you to put the pieces back in place?"

Denise shook her head with big sad eyes. "No; I did it when he was sleeping. I wanted to surprise him, I thought he was just afraid to be human again; I thought that once he were human again though, then he would see it would be all right. He could come live in the castle with us and be a part of our community again. But, but after it happened, he got really mad and yelled at me to get out."

Lumiere looked up, then stood as he thought to himself. "Your father needs to know about this, but he and your mother left last night for Selestat so they can attend the unveiling of a statue that was built in your father's likeness today."

He stood for a moment, quietly thinking what to do. "I'll break the news to him when he gets back later tonight. Where is Forte now?"

Denise shook her head, "I think, he's still in the cave. But, but please don't tell Poppa."

Lumiere nervously chuckled, "But Denise he has to know about this. Did you think you can keep this a secret for ever?"

Denise shook her head, "Please, don't tell him. Promise me you won't tell _anyone_. I'll tell him. I'll tell Momma and Poppa when they come home."

"Very well then," Lumiere, quietly sighed. "Now run along, go wash up for breakfast, and I'll go check on Monsieur Forte. Maybe he's calmed down sense this all happened. Trust me, everything's going to be just fine."

Denise softly nodded then began walking away. She slowly turned, before she left the room. "Thank you Lumiere; I, I should have listened to Cogsworth. None of this would have happened if I had just listened to him to begin with."

"No worrying about that now your highness; what's done is done. Now, run along." Immediately Lumiere went outside to the winery, while Denise went upstairs to find her brother and let him know what she had done, but the closer she got to his bedroom door, the sicker she felt to her stomach. She was just outside his room when suddenly Denise began to dry heave and choke. Madame Armoire and Cogsworth were just around the corner when they heard Denise and went to her aid.

"Heavens child, are you all right?" They both began to fuss over her like two mother hens.

Madame Armoire wiped her eyes and nose, while Cogsworth checked her head for a fever. "No fever, but she's certainly flushed."

The large woman nodded, "Poor child must be coming down with something. That's probably why she was acting out of sorts last night."

"You should go back to bed young lady," Cogsworth determined then sighed. One of the daunting tasks he had was to call for the castle's physician; he never did like doctors. But, protocol dictated that when a member of the royal family was ill, the physician would be immediately called upon. "I'll have the castle's physician to come and see you right away."

Denise thought about telling them what had happened, what she had done to Forte, but she knew if she did, Cogsworth would turn it into a 'I told you so,' moment. She turned slowly to go to her bedroom and got under the covers. She'd wait there for her parents to come home, all day if she had to.

Meanwhile, Lumiere took a deep cleansing breath and entered the winery. Even though Forte was no longer able to use his music to crush someone, the fact that he had once tried that, proved he had no qualms when it came to murder.

The first place he looked was of course the large cavity where the living organ had resided, but he only found the now dormant, lifeless organ that had once rested in the castle's reception hall. He began to retrace his steps, heading back to the winery section of the cave, looking into every dark corner and cranny he could see. As he slowly moved his way along, Lumiere ironically recalled the short conversation he and Cogsworth had just a few days ago, concerning the creepy looking musician. How the man looked like something you would _find_ hiding in a corner, waiting to strike. Lumiere heaved a hard breath, trying not to let his nerves get the best of him. "Come on Lu," he whispered faintly to himself, "no need to be fearful," he then nervously laughed. "Ha-ha, you're just in a dark cave with a homicidal maniac who could be hiding anywhere."

"_Homicidal maniac,_ humph; how droll." Lumiere heard someone mock his words in a chilling voice from behind, that made him jump right out of his skin. Immediately, Lumiere turned around with his slightly shaking hand, he raised his lantern to see Forte staring back at him. In a heart beat he knew it was him, because he had not changed in the slightest since the last time he had seen the freakish looking man.

"Ah, Forte there you are." With a trembling voice, Lumiere tried to sound pleased to find the now human Forte, (if that's what Forte really was). Forte stayed cool and collected; it was as if nothing had disturbed him recently. He continued to gaze emotionlessly at Lumiere's noticeably quivering smile.

"Do you happen to have a knife with you Lumiere? Although, I would imagine any small, sharp instrument will due the trick nicely." Forte calmly asked without any indication as to why he would want or need it.

Lumiere gulped hard. Surely Forte wasn't thinking of stabbing him to death, and use his very own knife to do the dirty work was he?

Again, Lumiere laughed nervously, patting his pant pockets pretending to look for a knife. "I'm afraid not bon ami. M-m-may I ask, what do you want it for?"

Forte finally expressed a twinge of emotion as he sneered, holding up a bottle of wine for Lumiere to see. "Well, I didn't think you would carry a corkscrew with you everywhere you went, but I thought perhaps you might have _something_ I could use to open this; I think its time to celebrate."

Lumiere smiled in relief. "Oh, oh I see now. Um I was under the impression that you were unhappy with being turned human again, Monsieur Forte. What are you celebrating then?"

Forte shrugged his shoulders, closing his eyes and pouted his lips. "Oh I don't know. Having once again, two legs, two arms, ten fingers…" he then eyed the wine bottle fervidly. "A soon to be spinning head."

Lumiere chuckled at Forte's joke. "So you are not mad?"

"Are you referring to my current mood, or questioning my sanity? Either way, I'm not sure you would like my answer." Forte cocked his head and warned in a cold tone.

Lumiere wasn't crazy about the idea of bringing him back to the castle, but leaving him here would be just bad form. "Come, let's go to the castle; you've lived in this dreary cave long enough."

Forte's eyes gaped open giving away his fear without any hesitation. "No," he shook his head. "I'm, I'm… not ready for that yet. I just want to be left alone, while I stay in here for the time being, and drink myself into oblivion. Now, if you don't have anything I can use to open this **blasted bottle,** I will smash its top and strain the glass through my teeth if necessary."

"Here, here," Lumiere finally produced a small knife he kept in his jacket pocket. "I will not force you to leave your sanctuary, Monsieur."

Forte bowed is head in respect. "Merci beaucoup, Monsieur Lumiere. Au revoir."

Lumiere watched the eccentric musician pry the bottle open with the knife he had given him before turning to leave praying under his breath that the Master and Mistress of the castle would be home sooner than later.

xXxXxXx

The house physician, Herr Arzt Schmerz, came into Denise's room with Madame Armoire and Cogsworth standing close by. A native of Germany, he was an average height man, but burly with short thick fingers and dry callused palms. Light brown hair which was turning grey that he wore in a bun on each side of his head. He wore a brown jacket and pantaloons and carried a black satchel. Denise sat up in bed, still feeling ill, all because of nerves.

Immediately the doctor began to poke and prod Denise with his manly hands; jabbing at her throat, her stomach, feel her head, and so on. "So, what's the trouble your highness?" the doctor asked in a husky but kind voice.

Denise thought maybe now she could clear her conscience, tell everyone here what she had done. Maybe then she'd stop having this terrible pain inside her heart and stomach. "I," she took a deep breath.

"It was this morning…" she began to explain when Cogsworth interpreted her.

"Isn't that your job, Herr Arzt? To figure out what is wrong?"

Both Schmerz and Armoire turned to give Cogsworth a stern glare. "Sorry, I never have liked doctors."

"Fine then," the doctor was no longer interested in what Denise had to say. Instead, he reached in his satchel and pulled out a glass jar full of leeches. "Doesn't matter what is wrong with them, nothing cures a child faster than a good old fashoin leeching."

Denise suddenly had the urge to jump right out of her bed, and run for her very life, and she would have probably done just that, if Cogsworth and Armoire hadn't come between her and the doctor. "A leeching!? Don't you think that's a bit extreme!?" Armoire asked the doctor anxiously.

"See, this is why I hate doctors!" Cogsworth yelped as he held Schmerz's arm with the jar of leeches.

The doctor gruffly yanked his arm away from Cogsworth while giving him an insulted glare. "So you think you know better than the Arzt? Fine!"

He put the jar of leeches back in his satchel and retrieved several small bottles containing a variety of liquids. "You don't want to guarantee her highness will get better, that is on you two, not me. But, this instead should do just as well."

He then began to measure and mix the liquids into one beacon. Madame caught a whiff of the concoction and nearly gagged on the order. "The Princess won't have to drink that will she?" the woman asked fearfully, although she didn't think smearing that horrid mess on Denise's skin would be any better.

The doctor gave her a stern impatient look. "Well, one way or another this has to get inside her highness' body. So, either it goes down the hatch or up the flue. Now tell me Madame Armoire, which do you think the Princess would prefer?"

Madame Armoire looked sympathetically at Denise as Herr Arzt handed the Princess the beacon, ordering her to drink it to the last drop. "Just hold your nose, your highness; that's about the best you can do to make it bearable."

Like a good patient, Denise did as the doctor ordered, forcing the horrid elixir down. "Get the chamberpot ready," Arzt Schmerz warned as she struggled with the last gulp.

Almost immediately Denise began to heave and vomit so hard, she thought she would see her shoes shoot out of her mouth. "There, there, it's just about over." Armoire comforted her as she held Denise's hair while Cogsworth held the chamberpot up to her mouth for her to heave into.

"Excellent," Herr Arzt seemed pleased by the sight. "Everything that is in the Princess will soon be out."

"Including her small intestines if this keeps up." Cogsworth feared as he too wondered if they see Denise's shoes floating in the chamberpot.

"What did you give her highness?" The butler distressfully asked, now partly wishing he hadn't called on the doctor at all.

"Sheep's urine fresh from this morning, some apple cider vinegar, rose water, and a dash of ammonia." Arzt Schmerz seemed quite proud of his prescription. "Like I said a minute ago; everything inside her majesty's body will soon be out."

"Well, Im sure you have done enough for today, Herr Arzt." Cogsworth began hinting to the doctor it might be time for him to go. "I'll see to it that Denise gets plenty of bed rest."

Arzt Schmerz put away his bottle and closed his satchel. "Yes, sleep might be good for her too. Be sure she has that pot nearby, she'll likely need it for the rest of the day."

"Oh, I'll be sure to do just that, Herr Arzt." Cogsworth assured him as he left the room.

"Madame Armoire, do you think you have this under control?" Cogsworth gingerly asked, knowing the proper etiquette was for a woman to look after the females of the royal family when they were ill.

"Of course I do, Cogsworth," Armoire assured him gently. "I will stay with our little Princess until she is better."


	12. Chapter 12

CH12

The day went along as any normal day in the castle; Lumiere was accustomed to keeping secrets, so one more made little difference. The rest in the castle would find out about Forte's return soon enough; that is, as long as the odd, creepy fellow was content to stay in his dark hole, anyway. For Denise however, it was a different story. All day, servants kept coming into her bedroom, to wish her well, and offered her words of kindness and praise. Endearments she felt truly unworthy to receive. She wouldn't dare tell these people what had happened before she told her father. He was the master of the house, as well as Forte's best friend. No doubt, being the _last_ to know of this catastrophe would only make him that more furious with her.

After the visit from Herr Schmerz, all Denise really wanted to do was close her eyes and pray this had all been just a horrendous nightmare. But, it seemed every time she'd close her eyes, another well meaning soul would knock on the door and come in to tell her how much they adored her and hoped she would soon feel better. The only person she really wanted to see was her brother Adam, he certainly wouldn't gush with adoration or homage for her. He'd tell her exactly what he thought. Sure, he'd judge her too, but he was her brother, and brothers are allowed to do that. However, Cogsworth insisted he stay away from her for at least today, because an over active five year old would only disturb her rest.

All morning and well into the afternoon Denise stayed in bed, with a seriously queasy stomach, a splitting headache and broken heart; while dozens of people, people she had come to recognize as her family, would lavish her with sincere sentiments of love and affection. None of them knew that every word they spoke to Denise, felt as if they throwing stones at her; hitting their mark each and every time. She knew that by this time tomorrow, everyone coming to see her today, would most likely be shaking their heads with contempt and rejection.

She finally called to have her drawing book and pencils be brought to her, and in bed she sat, finding a sense in comfort looking at the pictures. She then turned to a blank page and began to draw a new picture; a picture of Forte in his grand organ state. She wanted to capture the elegance and poise she saw in his previous form. She wanted to remember him when he was vibrant and confident, not what she had turned him into which was a disheartened, lowly and sad man.

She began to rationalize to herself that it wasn't her fault really. If anyone was to blame, she thought, it was likely Forte. He shouldn't have given her those crazy ideas of ruling or taking charge to begin with. Then again, it was also Cogsworth's fault for trying to control her day in and day out. The more Denise dwelt on her guilt, the more she tried to deflect it; until by mid afternoon, she was practically blaming everyone in the castle, with maybe the exception of her brother Adam. Even her mother and father had a shame in the blame from her perspective, they should have been preparing her for sovereignty long ago. Her heart began to grow dark, and her head filled with bitter thoughts.

Later that afternoon, after they were finished with their duties, Babette and another maid named, Malloire, came in to offer their Princess words of encouragement. Malloire was a young french girl, of average height and plain face with long auburn hair pulled into a bun, and pale blue eyes. Standing next to Babette, who was the embodiment of sensuality, Malloire looked rather awkward and unsophisticated.

Denise had little to say as they approached her in bed, although she did try to smile and at least put on the airs of a dignified young princess. "Oh, you poor thing you," Babette uttered sympathetically.

"Mon Lumiere said you were feeling poorly today, your highness. Here, can I get you a glass of water?" she asked as she began to pour the glass even before Denise said yes.

But it wasn't the glass of water Denise was interested in. "You say, Lumiere told you? Did, did he say anything else to you Babette?" Denise squeamishly asked, as she accepted the glass Babette handed her.

"No, mon petitte moineau, Mon Lumiere said that Monsieur Cogworth told him, he had to call Arzt Schmerz this morning for you." Babette then shuddered. "Oh, how I hate doctors. They are always so, so pitiless; and don't get me started on their so called cures! I remember one time, Herr Schmerz gave me this disgusting medicine, I never tasted anything so horrible before. He started to tell me what was in it, but I made him stop. I did not want to know what vile things he made me drink. Oh, and then there was once when I was a young girl back in Paris, my sweet mere had to have the doctor come to our home because I was nearly dying from the fever. I was so sick, and all the doctor wanted to do was poke something horrible into every orifice of my body! That was almost the worst day of my life, being cursed _was_ the worst day of my life of course. I never like being turned into a feather duster. For ten straight years, I had to be careful around my darling Lumiere; not to mention I was forever sneezing, because there was nothing I could do to keep the dust away from my nose. I guess you can see why that was worse than having a doctor do his dirty work, on me, but then, again, I am not sure, I think…"

Malloire her friend, gently tugged Babette's arm. "I think her highness has heard enough of your stories mon cherri. We should be going so she can get her rest."

Babette turned to give her friend a feisty glare, then looked at Denise who almost seemed to look like another girl Babette had never seen before. A dark and angry girl, with a grim expression and unnerving eyes. "Oh, mon moineau, you look _so_ upset. You are too lovely, like your mother, to be looking so crude. Cheer up, precious one. Your Momma and Poppa will be home tonight. You don't want them to see you looking so dreadful now do you, your highness?"

Denise slowly shook her head; partly because of her splitting headache and partly she was not used to feeling so foul. "No, I do not want Momma or Poppa to see me like this."

"Well, how about for a start, I open the curtains for you, yes?" Babette strolled over to the window and pulled the curtains wide open, letting in the fresh summer mountain air. "Ah, that is better, this is what mon moineau needs. You are too dear and stately to be down in the dumps, your majesty. I will stay here and keep you company until your Momma and Poppa come home."

"You don't have to do that, Babette, I'll be fine." Denise quietly insisted. She then laid back down in her bed to convince the two servants that she was eager for them to leave her alone. As she moved her legs under the sheets, her book which was on top of the sheets moved as well, making the women notice what Denise had recently drawn. Babette picked up the book to look more intently at the drawing of Forte. She turned the book crookedly than straightened it again, as she tried to figure out what she was looking out.

Then she suddenly remembered with a scowl on her face, "Ah, this is that nasty musician who had the nerve to call me a cockte…" Babette stopped herself from blurting out the phrase, 'cock tease,' in front of the Princess. "Well, it's not important what he called me, I'm just glad that he got what he deserved. I hear he is now stuck inside a dark hole where he can never hurt anyone again with his vicious tongue or his black witchcraft. Did you know he tried to kill your mother and father, mon moineau?"

Denise rolled over in the bed, facing away from Babette, without giving her an answer. She was tired of hearing how awful Forte was, and she was tired of defending him. The maid paid no mind however as she continued to study Denise's drawing of the living pipe organ. "I had almost forgotten that vulgar man had been turned into a pipe organ."

She then gave the picture one final disapproving glance. "Uck, he looks far too happy in this picture though. I would like to think he is as lonely and miserable as he always looked when he was that crotchety old man who lived in the castle."

Babette waited for Denise to respond, but she said nothing to her at all. She wanted to pretend as if Babette and her friend were not even there in the room.

Malloire again urged Babette to leave, "Come my friend, the child needs her rest."

Babette felt slighted however, for taking time to visit a sick child who apparently did not appreciate her. She tossed Denise's book on the bed next to Denise and grumbled under her breath, "Just because she is royalty she thinks she can be rude to us."

Denise heard the servant's insolence however and immediately turned and rose up to face Babette, "I didn't ask you to come in here! I didn't ask for you to critique my drawings! I didn't ask you to open the curtains, I didn't even ask you for a stupid glass of water, you haughty peasant!"

Denise then picked up her drawing book and threw it at Babette and Malloire, hitting Babette on the elbow. "Get out!" she screamed the same way she had heard Forte scream at her. "**GET OUT!**"

Malloire darted outside the bedroom without haste, while Babette seemed to strut out without a care. "Humph! The Master was such a terrible beast when he was a child, and now his daughter is no different."

Denise through herself back on the bed and rolled onto her side again. But shortly after that, the room began to brighten even glow. Denise raised her head fascinated with the strange brightness that filled her room. Suddenly, she realized she was no longer feeling sick to her stomach, but she began to feel unbelievably dizzy. The room felt like it was spinning, and at one point, she thought she was flying in mid air. She tried to call out for someone to come help her, but she couldn't speak. Then all at once she blacked out, alone and soundless.

A few minutes went by, and Madame Armoire opened Denise's bedroom door. She looked in and saw a sleeping child under the sheets. 'Dear thing,' Armoire thought to herself. 'She's finally getting some sleep.'

xXxXxXx

At long last, the sun was setting and the Master's carriage could be seem from the castle's tower. Lumiere found himself feeling both relieved and nervous at the same time, for pretty much the same reasons. It would be a relief to finally have everything in the open, but there was no certainty how things would go once they were out in the open. Someone should get Denise he thought, but no, the child had been sick, if not before Arzt. Schmerz's visit, then certainly afterward. No, wait for her parents to get settled in; perhaps after little AJ was put to bed, they could go to her room and she could explain what happened this morning in the cave.

"Bon sonoir your Majesties," he gleefully greeted Belle and Adam as he met them at the door. Cogsworth also offered the Prince and Princess a warm good evening, just seconds behind Lumiere's, making it sound much like an echo.

"I trust your journey was a pleasant one," said Cogsworth as he took Prince Adam's black felt tricorne hat and velvet jacket as Madame Armoire took Belle's lovely chapeau that was adorned with lace and pink silk roses and her shawl.

"As good as can be expected, Cogsworth. Its nice to take a short venture outside the castle from time to time." Prince Adam smiled and took in a deep breath as he felt himself relax, being in his familiar surroundings.

"How were the children?" Belle asked pleasantly as they continued to walk inside. "I hope they weren't any trouble while we were gone."

"Of course not, your highness," Cogsworth spoke up. "However I'm afraid to report that while you were absent, Denise took ill very early this morning, and the doctor was called upon.

Belle gasped, "Is she all right? What did the doctor say?"

Cogsworth snorted a bit, "He gave her one of his so called remedies, which made her vomit vehemently, I'm afraid. But she's doing much better now. Madame Armoire says she checked in on her just a little while ago and she was sleeping."

About that time, little Adam came rushing up to jump into his Poppa's waiting arms. "Poppa, you're home!" The young prince cheered for joy. He hugged his poppa tightly around the neck, then quickly turned and leaned toward Belle, ready to plant a sloppy kiss on her cheek.

"Denise has been in bed all day, Momma. I couldn't play with her. So I stayed with Lumiere instead."

Lumiere, then spoke up, "Y-yes he did and he was very helpful too. He even took time to make this card for his dear soeur. Um, perhaps after you have had a chance to unwind, we can go upstairs and pay Denise a visit. She has something very important she want to tell you."

Belle looking anxiously and turned to her husband as her son then leaped from his father's arms into her's. "Maybe I should go see her now…" however, Madame Armoire interrupted.

"Let her rest a few minutes longer, your majesty. She's been resting so peacefully for the past hour or so."

Prince Adam held Belle's arm and nodded, "Yes, let her rest another few more minutes. She probably just wants to apologize for last night's tantrum. We can wait a while longer for that."

Belle smiled and nodded as well, thinking her daughter could use a few more minutes of peaceful sleep.

Then unexpectedly, there was a knock at the door, and everyone turned to look at each other in surprise. Being the closest one to the door, Prince Adam opened it, to find quite a sight standing before him.

A man that, for a moment or so, he did not recognize; a tall and slender man with pasty grey skin, and long, oily, raven black hair, who weaved slightly as he stood before him. No longer wearing his exquisite coat and tails, nor covered by his regal powered pig, the man attempted to humbly bow before his Prince, still holding a nearly empty bottle of the house's own wine in one hand. "Bon s-s-sonoiur your majesty! It is I…" he slowly raised his head, softly belching before he continued with his introduction, "…Your humble servant Forte; I have come to offer you my services once more."

Everyone standing by, even Lumiere, was taken by surprise, as they just stood there with mouths agape, but no one looked more surprised then Prince Adam, who stepped back in shock, speechless and startled. When Forte saw his reaction however, he quickly mistook it for rejection and immediately his defenses went up, as his mind began to retreat behind the icy cold, thick walls of pride and superiority he had created for himself years ago. "Oh; did I interrupt something, your highness?" he sneered contemptuously with slightly slurred words. "Mmmm, I know what a bother that can be. There you are, minding your _own_ business, paying no never mind, when all of a sudden… somebody comes along… and **tears** you away from what means most to, you."

Prince Adam shook his head in absolute bewilderment. "Forte? Is, is it really you!?"

"None, _other_, your majesty," Forte replied smugly yet with a distinct note of bitterness. "And as you can plainly see, in the _flesh_."

By now, other servants had peeked in on the situation to discover what the commotion was, and the moment they heard the stranger's name, like wild fire, the news of his return made its rounds throughout the castle. Many of the older servants, the ones familiar with Forte's story, came to see, if not gawk at the sight. Two of the first to show up were Babette, as well as Fife. While Babette quickly made her way to Lumiere's side, Fife chose to stay in the background, watching carefully from a distance. For a brief and fleeting moment no one spoke, no one even moved, before both Lumiere and Cogsworth jumped in tried to interject something and take control of the situation.

"How the blue blazes did this happen?" Cogsworth partially yelled.

"Oh, didn't that adorable Princess Denise tell you?" Forte quipped as he tried to stand straight, only to stammer and tilt. He finally gave up and leaned on the door's threshold.

"That devilish little sylph, **put my pieces back**!" he seethed through clenched teeth.

"Now, now, Maestro," Lumiere tried rationalizing with the miffed musician to calm him down. "She did not fully grasp what she was doing. She's just a child, you know."

Babette, clinging tightly to Lumiere's arm, leaned in closely, "I do not remember having so much trouble walking or standing or speaking, when I transformed back into a human."

Forte overheard her and laughed, "Oh I assure you my dear woman, the instant I was forcibly reunited with this, this atrocious, and inevitably rotting carcass, it was as if I had never left it."

He then raised the wine bottle, gently patting it with his fingers. "No, you see, my momentary lapse in agility is due to the contents of this bottle, and… three others just like it; or, is it now, f-f-four. I've, lost count."

Babette continued to scrutinize the drunk man while still hiding behind her lover's arm. This was the first time she had ever seen Forte without his wig, and immediately her eyes were drawn to his crown. His straight and oily hair went past his shoulders. Its color was for the most part, raven black, with the exception of one extremely noticeable feature, which was a large and profound white lock of hair that started from the top-center front of his crown. His slightly receding hairline was common for men his age, but it only made the lock of white that more obvious. His hair parted naturally in the middle which split the lock in two, with the lion's share falling over his right ear, and the sparse strands falling over his left ear. "Didn't you used to wear a wig, Monsieur Forte?" the maid patronized.

Forte then reached up and felt his head, as if he were looking for his wig. Suddenly his eyes brightened as he recalled what happened to his covering. "Oh, that's right; If I recall correctly, the last time I saw the bloody thing, it was on a cow's noggin."

Babette and others chuckled at his response. He then went on to explain, with his glazed bloodshot eyes twinkling just so. "Yes, I decided to take a walk. You know, I haven't done that in, in, a million years it seems. Well, it was _hot_, and so I thought I could either melt into a stinking puddle of sweat, or I could just not give a damn about what people thought of me any more. As you can see, I chose the later."

"Um, Forte," Lumiere began to wave him into the castle. "There is no need to stand outside like a stranger. Please come inside."

"Hold on, hold on there," Cogsworth interrupted gruffly as he tried to make his way in front of Forte.

"Cogsworth, this man is our family! We cannot…" Lumiere began to argue.

"We certainly can!" Cogsworth snorted as he turned to face Lumiere and the two men began to argue back and forth right for all to see. Belle and Madame Armoire began to shake their heads, as other servants came close enough to see the spectacle. But the Prince heard not a sound they made.

Without giving it a second thought, he reached out and grabbed Forte by the arm and pulled him into his embrace; wrapping his arms around his dear friend and going so far as to kiss the man on the cheek. "Bienvenue à la maison cher ami! Bienvenue à la maison!" _(Welcome home, dear Friend! Welcome home!)_

At first Forte's eyes filled with fear as he felt Adam's strong hand clasp around his arm and pull him in. His body stiffened, prepared to experience great pain; just as he had when he was a child being bullied and pushed around. However, the sensation of the Prince's embrace confused him; it was like molten lava being spilled onto frozen river. It hurt so much to feel such love; Forte's eyes swelled with tears as he slowly and carefully reached his arm around the Master's back, returning the embrace but with a much lighter touch though, still clinging to the bottle with his other hand. He expected Adam's embrace to be short lived, since it was surely nothing but a polite gesture, but once he realized Adam's affection was genuine and sincere, Forte's demeanor suddenly softened, and he began to smile. Like the icy river which had been melted away, Forte's tears flowed freely. He squeezed Adam back and with tightly clenched his eyes, he buried his face into his Master's shoulder. "Merci mon prince. Merci."

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NOPE, WE'RE NOT QUITE DONE.

AND PLEASE, PLEASE REVIEW. GOOD OR BAD I JUST WANT TO KNOW WHAT YOU GUYS THINK. BUT, GOOD IS PREFERRED. :)


	13. Chapter 13

ch13

Everyone was moved by this touching scene of grace; even Cogsworth stepped back in awe as the two men stood in the doorway, embracing each other like two long lost brothers. Lumiere saw Cogsworth's expression and quietly leaned in, "Reconciliation is always a beautiful thing, is it not, my friend?" he whispered almost breathlessly. Cogworth could barely nod.

Still keeping one arm around his friend, Prince Adam turned and began walking to the castle's living area, "Please Forte, come inside; you've been apart from us for far too long."

Forte was dumb founded and speechless. He half way wondered if he had passed out somewhere and was dreaming all this. Any moment he'd surely wake up in the cow pasture he passed by earlier this afternoon, where last he saw his fine coat hung on a fence post, and his wig walking away on a cow's head.

He moved along side with his Prince, and entered the castle. Belle came up along side of him, and also offered him a gentle peck on the cheek. He knew he felt himself blush, as he gave her a boyish smile. He tried to think of something polished and sophisticated to say to her, but all he could summon was a whispered, 'thank you,' spoken from a dry throat.

They walked through the small collection of servants who had gathered around to see what was going on. As they made their way to the living area, they walked directly passed Fife without a so much as a nod; without giving him so much as a word of acknowledgment. He wasn't terribly offended though. He knew this _was_ Forte's moment, but, just how long would Forte's moment last? The crowd began to disperse, but now with exciting news to talk amongst themselves. Just as Babette was about to go her own way, she noticed an addled Fife standing off to the side. "Maestro Fife," Babette walked over to him and softly spoke.

"He was your friend too, no?" She asked, referring to Forte.

Fife timidly smiled, "Y-yes I guess you could call him that."

"I wonder why no one said hello to you then?" she asked innocently. "You are the castle's maestro now, but so was he. It only seems fair that… oh,"

She then looked softheartedly at Fife, "Oh; I'm sure it means nothing, but… I wonder what the Master plans to do with the _old_ Maestro? He treats that ugly, old sourpuss like he was a brother."

Fife couldn't hide his anxiety any longer. Babette saw his expression and tried to appease him. "Do not be so afraid, Maestro Fife; you have earned your place in the castle, and I'm sure the Master won't leave you out in the cold. He knows Rosalie is in a delicate condition."

However her 'comforting' words weren't offering Fife much comfort, but he smiled politely and thanked Babette all the same. He then quietly made his way into the living area and continued to observe Forte from afar.

Meanwhile, Belle took a seat on a cozy cushioned chair, giving Adam and Forte the opportunity to sit side by side to each other on the couch where she normally sat this time in the evening. Looking profoundly confused, young Adam noticed the change, "Does this mean we won't have story time tonight?"

The smiling Prince, reached for his son who came to sit on his lap. "Of course not son. In fact, looks like we might have to add a new chapter after tonight won't we?"

A still bewildered and humbled Forte quietly looked around, "Story time?" he softly wondered aloud.

The young prince then climbed onto his father's lap, suspiciously examining the strange visiter from head to toe. "I, I think I know you Monsieur?"

Forte's eyes twinkled, "You don't recognize me?"

Little Adam shook his head, "No, Monsieur; but I'm pr-r-retty sure I've seen you somewhere before?" He continued to eyeball the man, with a perplexing and somewhat disapproving look on his face. Even though it had been years since Forte suffered the discomfort of a gawking child or for that matter, an adult, he brushed off young Adam's dismissive glare without a single snippy remark.

No, Forte thought he was ready to turn over a new leaf, make a fresh start of things. He'd done it before, so, one more try at this crazy thing called life seemed to be in order; well considering the circumstances at least. No more hiding behind a veil of judgmental or condescending attitudes and remarks, no more manipulating and conniving to have his way and be in control. He'd make it a practice to be more understanding, and patient. Go to confession regularly again, start praying the rosary and attend communion more often. Yes, the world would see a brand new and improved Forte; a kinder, gentler Forte, a benevolent Forte.

Then again….

From out of nowhere, little Adam swung back his leg and kicked Forte as hard as he could in his shin.

"Adam!" Belle screeched, as his father pulled him away from Forte as quickly as he could while poor Forte grabbed his throbbing shin, rubbing it as a large blue bruise bloomed where little Adam's shoe had struck.

"I'm **so** sorry Forte," the Prince emphatically apologized again and again.

Forte continued to rub his shin, "Pay no mind your highness; like father like son, aye?"

"Adam, I want you to apologize to Monsieur Forte this instant, then you can go straight to bed!" Belle ordered without hesitation.

"Oh please, don't punish the child," Forte insisted kindly. The last thing he wanted, was to have this sweet and endearing reunion tainted by the Master having to banish his child to his bedroom.

"This is Forte!?" Little Adam gasped in amazement looking him up and down repeatedly. He then leaned in closely to his father; "You were right poppa; He _is_ creepy. But… I think I'm going to like him."

"Delightful," Forte dryly replied, still rubbing his shin while he considered putting that whole, 'turning over a new leaf,' idea on hold.

"Just curious, your highnesses, but, where's your other offspring?" he began looking around for Denise. He wasn't afraid of her kicking him in the shin, she'd already hurt him more than she ever could with a mere swing of her foot.

"Yes, Madame Armoire," the Belle called out. "Would you be so kind as to check in on Denise? If she is well enough, have her come down stairs; I think she has some explaining to do."

"Oh, of course, your majesty; I'll fetch her right away." Madame Armoire curtsied and immediately skirted up the steps, hoping that Denise was not in too much trouble.

By this time, Mrs. Potts was front and center with her tea cart; tea pot, cups and all, eager and ready to hand out cups to everyone. "How about some of my tea, Maestro Forte? I remember you used to come and drink it with me from time to time back in the day."

Forte looked up and saw the kindly face he'd secretly come to trust, and to an extent, respect. Even though they were relatively the same age, he imagined when he was a child and had known either one of his grandmothers, she would have been just like Mrs. Potts. He was just about to accept her offer, but, just before she poured him any, Lumiere leaned over, "I think perhaps, the maestro would benefit more from a stronger drink, if you catch my drift. You know, that other drink some have in the morning. _Coffee…?_ I think it is called."

Finally noticing Fort'e glassy eyes, not to mention the bottle in his hand, Mrs. Potts' face lit up, understanding what Lumiere was getting at. "Ah, yes, coffee it is then."

She left as quickly as she showed up, leaving Forte without so much as a cup of tea to pass the time. So, still holding the bottle of wine, he raised it to take another sip, only to second guess his judgement, remembering he was in the company of royalty. He then glanced around hoping to find perhaps a glass or something he could use to finish the bottle, without looking like a completely uncouth clod. Suddenly, there came a scream from upstairs. Belle gasped, "Armoire?" and made a rush for the stairs.

All the men in the room, stood when Belle arose, as was customary, as Prince Adam took off as well follwing her up the stairs, passing her halfway. Cogsworth also began heading up the stairs, leaving Forte alone with Lumiere to watch over the young prince Adam. Still being drunk, his thinking was slow as he tried to get his mind around everything that just happened.

'Madame Armoire was sent to fetch Denise, now they hear Armoire scream?' Even Forte couldn't bare to think the worst; he may have been angry enough to think of killing the little princess this morning, but deep down, the last thing he wanted was to see any serious harm come to the girl.

He stood there with his head whirling inside, from the drink as well as from the extreme highs and lows of emotions, then suddenly, from behind a man spoke to him in english; "Good evening, Monsieur Forte."

The voice sounded familiar, like he had heard it a thousands times already, yet it was quite different from anything he had heard before. He turned around, curious to see who would speak to him in english, since only a few knew his born nationality, and for a brief second or so, he couldn't believe his eyes.

"F-f-fife," he softly spoke the man's name as a crooked half smile crept up his face.

"You're looking well." Forte spoke coolly, cocking his eyebrow and eyeballing the short pudgy man who had taken his job.

"Thank you, Monsieur," Fife replied to be polite, but didn't want to go beyond anything more than the most basic of pleasantries. "Um, as you do."

Forte then realized the reason why he did not recognize the man's voice right away; Fife's voice had actually gained a hint of maturity, of grounding, and in his own way, a kind of aloofness in his tone. Fife's voice had become manly since his absence, and no longer that constant, annoying, pitchy intonation of perkiness Forte loathed to hear. The change was refreshing, however, did this indicate that Fife had actually, 'grown a pair,' while Forte had been on his indefinite sabbatical? If so, then getting his old job back may be more difficult than he anticipated.

'Hmmm, time to find out,' the inebriated Forte thought to himself.

With nose in the air, and still weaving a bit, Forte raised his hand, halfway pointing his finger at Fife's face. "So you think you're the cock of the walk now, do you, my _dear, old,_ friend fify? Humph, I challenge you to a duel."

Fife drew back in shock as Lumiere gasped, "We, we don't do that here, Monsieur Forte! Prince Adam and Belle abhor violence."

Forte turned to give Lumiere a confused look, "Oh, not **that** kind of duel!" he retorted stingingly, before clarifying his intentions. "I mean a duel of instruments."

He then focused his buzzed mind and puffed ego on his former apprentice. "You name it," Forte began to wave his hand flippantly in the air.

"Any musical instrument of your choosing, and I will out preform you. Even on that, teeny, tiny _piccolo_ of yours." Forte sniggered, pinching his fingers close together, mocking the size of Fife's preferred instrument, and possibly the size of his manhood. Then from nowhere, a young woman showed up and stood next to Fife. She grabbed Fife's hand for security and quietly asked him, "Tony, who is this?"

"Tony?" Forte softly repeated. All the years he'd known Fife, this was the first time he'd heard the man's first name. He then glanced at the woman who came over to Fife's side and the very first thing he noticed was her large, round, swollen abdomen. She was pregnant, as in, could pop any moment pregnant. Forte lost his concentration, and his breath. He felt the blood rush out of his face as shame and embarrassment took over his thinking. Fife obviously had done what Forte never had; sire a child. Feeling much smaller and docile now, Forte dropped his hand and haughtiness as he stood there unsure of what to do or say next.

"Rosalie, this is my old master, Monsieur Forte; Forte, this is my wife, Rosalie." Fife spoke quietly and courteously.

"Pleased to meet you, Monsieur Forte." The young woman said as she politely curtsied for him. Forte's eyes widened and he felt an urge to aid her back to her feet.

"I'm fine, Monsieur," Rosalie politely assured Forte, who stood there looking as awkward as he felt. He said nothing to her in return as he discretely gazed at her features. She was fair skinned, with a slender girlish face, blond hair that she wore in curls, pulled up above her neckline, and powder blue eyes. She was roughly an inch, maybe two, taller than her husband Fife who had always been much shorter than the average man, making his wife around five foot six inches, or there about. She had a petite frame, which made her extended belly that more noticeable. Forte stepped back and quietly murmured an apology to Fife.

"I'm… I'm sorry, for my behavior, Fife." He barely spoke out loud as he sat back down on the couch. He then watched Fife walk his wife to an adjacent chair, other than the one Belle sat in, of course, and helped her sit down.

"Um, I see congratulations are in order," Forte spoke up, lifting his bottle in a toast like manner to the couple and took a long drink, no longer caring whether or not he looked like a clod anymore. He was about to ask Fife if he had any more children, when everyone heard the Prince call out in a loud voice for Lumiere from upstairs.

"Lumiere," the Master yelled loudly. "She's coming down stairs! Stop her!" was all they heard. Suddenly, from the West wing stair case, came a blur of brown fur dashing toward the kitchen. At first, it looked to everyone like a crazed wolf had got into castle somehow, and was now running amuck. Could a wolf have come inside and attacked the princess while she slept? Some in the castle wondered this out loud, as they now heard the clanging and banging of pots and pans, and Mrs. Potts screaming of the top of her lungs. All began to run to the kitchen, including Forte to see what was going on.

Leaving young Adam with Fife, and Rosalie, Lumiere made his way to the kitchen as well, but Forte reached the door before anyone else. With his hand on the door, Forte turned to look at Lumiere and gave a quiet nod. Forte quietly opened the door, letting Lumiere peek his head inside. There he saw Mrs. Potts in one corner, holding her hand over her heaving chest, while holding a raised skillet like a mallet in her other; and in the other corner was a very ravenous looking 'beast,' devouring this night's left overs like a starving wolf. The creature wasn't very intimidating in its size; it was a rather small and frail looking thing, with what could be best described as delicate features.

Suddenly, at the same instant, Mrs. Potts and Lumiere noticed the yellow silk gown the beast wore. Mrs. Potts dropped the skillet and cupped her hand over her mouth, as Lumiere shook his head in shock, "Dear God, not again."

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I proof read this four times, my husband once and a friend of mine once as well. Just like my other chapters. Wonder how many typos will be in THIS chapter. :)

And I could have finished the story in this chapter, but I'm superstitious and don't like having a story that ends on ch13.

Also, please review. I like to know what you guys think. :)


	14. Chapter 14

ch14

Forte opened the door wide, made his way fearlessly inside the kitchen. He looked at Lumiere who had a pitiful look on his face, and Mrs. Potts who was on the verge of tears. He then saw the growling wolf-like creature, with wild eyes and a feral expression on its face as it shoveled what was left of an entire turkey, bones and all, into its mouth and chomped away, swallowing it nearly whole. Fascinated by this, Forte came even closer. The beast let out a horrendous belch. Suddenly the beast noticed saw Forte standing there studying her with great intensity. Her eyes and face gradually softened as if she was regaining control of the monster inside.

"Excuse me," she bashfully said as she started to lick her hand like paws. "I, I haven't eaten at all today, and I was hungry."

She then began looking around as if she was unsure where she was or how she got there. Then she saw the mess she had created. Just then, Belle and Adam both came flying into the kitchen just as the she-beast realized she was licking her paws like and animal. She suddenly stopped to look down at what should have been her hands. The furry creature began to pant, or more accurately hyperventilate, as she examined her new body. Her gown covered most of her body, she was relatively the same size as when she was human. However, the nice thick layer of soft chocolate brown fur made the material of her gown stretch to its fullest, and then there was the tail. Denise twisted her body to find a long hairy tail swinging behind her. "M-m-m-momma? Poppa?" she raised her slender furry paws for them to see.

"I'm… just… having a… a b-b-b-bad dream right?" Belle reached out a trembling hand out to comfort her child holding back tears.

"I wish that were true, chere fille." her mother spoke softly and tenderly.

The Prince looked panic stricken, what had they done to bring this on them _**this time**_? "Lumiere, I need you and Cogsworth to go around the castle, make sure no one else was transformed."

Still reeling form the shock, Lumiere could barely speak up. "Yes, sire; right away."

Now that Mrs. Potts had regained some of her composure, though still shaking, she cleared her throat and put her arm around Belle who was still comforting Denise.

"Now, now; dears, everything's going to be all right." She spoke encouraging to both Belle and Denise. "We've been through this very same thing before, and we made it out just fine. Let's all sit down, have a nice cup of tea," She then recalled what she had gone to the kitchen for in the first place, "Or coffee, which ever, you like. We can then clear our heads and figure out what we're dealing with."

Adam, still in disbelief looked around expecting to find something anything that could answer what had happened to his daughter. "Denise, did the Enchantress appear to you any time today?"

Denise, too in shock to even cry, shook her head, "No Poppa."

"Was there anything left behind in her room? Something. anything to give us an idea why this happened, or more important, what we need to do to turn her back?" he asked Madame Armoire.

"No, sire," there is nothing out of the ordinarily in her highness' room.

"Well, go check again! We don't even know if there is a time limit like I had when I was cursed." he barked irritably.

"This doesn't make any sense!" Adam felt himself getting angry. "When I was cursed, at least the Enchantress had the courtesy to show up in person!"

Forte was realizing his moment in the sun had already come and gone, and that he was quickly becoming a distant, forgotten memory. If he was to stay on Prince Adam's "A" list, he better think of something to make himself useful.

Prince Adam began to pace like an animal, "How could I let this happen again? What did I do _this_ time?"

He then stopped in his tracks, with tears swelling up in his eyes, "My poor daughter."

"Sire, don't blame yourself. I'm quite sure you had nothing to do with this." Forte offered encouragement to his Prince. "At least your daughter has her mother to comfort her, and she has you who has already gone through the curse and beat it. That's so much more than what you had going for you."

Mrs. Potts handed Belle a cup of tea and Forte a mug of coffee. She tired to give Prince Adam a cup but he refused. "We broke the curse last time your highness, and we'll break it again! You'll see. There's a nice man out there for Denise, who will love her for who she is, and she will find love just as you did, your highness."

By this time Lumiere came back to let the prince know that at least the house servants were not effected by this enchantment. Adam felt a twinge of relief, it was bad enough his child was cursed, he didn't think he had it in him, to worry about anyone else. "Cogsworth is still checking the grounds, your highness, but I think we can say that only Denise was changed."

"But **why**?" Prince Adam almost argued with Lumiere. "Why was she changed and no one else?"

Lumiere could only shake his head, and offer and sympathetic pat on the shoulder. Suddenly, Adam had an idea. He whirled around with a look of determination on his face. "Tomorrow morning, I'm heading into the black forest. There, I know I _will_ find **someone** who can break this curse; maybe the Enchantress herself."

Mrs. Potts and Belle gasped, as Lumiere began to reason with the Prince. "Sire, the black forest is full of dangerous and unimaginable horrors. There are places where no human dares to tread; and when they do, they never return! Wolves are the least of your worries, sire; Trolls, goblins, witches, _and not the good kind either_, ogres, vampires, I've even heard there is a cursed tree or two who eats humans that dwell in the black forest. Please your highness you shouldn't go…"

"I don't care if I have to battle Satan himself along with **all** his fallen angels, Lumiere, I am **not** standing idly by and watch my daughter suffer with this without even a chance to change back. No, Lumiere I am _not_ changing my mind!" Adam insisted, almost irrationally.

Lumiere just gave him a stern harsh look, "Your highness, I wasn't going to say, 'you shouldn't go,' I was going to say, 'you shouldn't go -_without me_'!"

"Or me," Forte jumped in, eager to keep his name fresh in the Prince's mind.

Prince Adam smiled at Forte, "You just became a human not even 24 hours ago and now you think you're ready to journey straight into hell?"

"For _you_, your highness, and, your daughter, yes, of course I am." Forte explained impassionedly.

Adam smiled, as he put his hands around the man's shoulders. "No Forte, I need you to stay here, instead."

Forte's eyes gave away his offended feelings. "But, sire," he tried to argue.

"No, I want you to stay here and take care of Denise. She's going to need you, the way I did." The Prince affectionately explained.

Forte's face now softened a bit; at least he now knew there was meaning to his life again. Even if this meant he'd have to comfort the one who took away his only happiness. He humbly and sincerely nodded his head as he sighed in resignation, "Yes sire. I will do my very best."

"Very good then; Lumiere and I, will set out first thing in the morning." Adam declared. "I suggest for now at least, those of you in the castle, continue to live your lives as usual, until we get back."

He then knelt down to speak to Belle and Denise. He reached out to stroke Denise's brown furry face, and kissed her on the forehead between her two horns. "I'll return with what we need to make you human again, I promise. Until then, I want you to watch over your brother, continue your lessons, mind your mother, and most of all, _listen to me_; learn to control the beast inside of you, or _it_ will take complete control over you."

"Yes, poppa," She meekly said, still huddling close to her mother's bosom.

"You should rest now my doux petite ange, your mother and I have much to discuss before I leave in the morning." Prince Adam then patted her cheeks and gave her one more kiss before Madame Armoire took her back to bed. Denise hugged her father as tightly as she could, which she soon discovered was quite a bit stronger than she ever could before.

Just then, Cogsworth appeared to let the Prince know that no one else, only Denise had been affected by the curse this time.

"Well, at least I don't have that on my mind," Prince Adam allowed himself a moment to feel at ease.

"Cogsworth, since I doubt Forte's old room would suffice any more for this esteemed musician, I will leave it to your good judgement to find suitable living quarters for him within the castle."

Cogsworth grinned as a devilish glint twinkled in his blue eyes. "Why as a matter of fact, I have the _perfect_ room for Monsieur Forte; over on the **East** wing of the castle."

"Very good then," Prince Adam then turned to Lumiere.

"Make sure our horses and supplies will be ready first thing in the morning. No carriages, we'll have to do this on horse back. I suggest you get some rest tonight, because who knows how long it will be before we sleep in our own beds again."

Lumiere nodded, "Yes, your highness."

Cogsworth then cleared his throat to get Forte's attention, "Follow me Forte," was all he said to the man.

Forte was about to quietly follow Cogsworth when the Prince called out his name, "Forte…"

He turned around, to see his Prince looking at him as if he was the only one in the room; as if he cared whether or not Forte was alive or dead. As if, in spite of all his malious and wrong doing, of his short falls and imperfections, his Prince still thought he mattered as a human being. "I _am_ truly happy to have you back where you belong."

In spite the urge to jump up and down for joy, or, maybe find Fife and give him a good taunting, Forte kept his cool and calm composure. He bowed humbly before his Prince, "And I am truly happy to be here, _where I belong_, your highness."

Under better circumstances, say, perhaps when the Prince returns and Denise is human again, Forte will allow himself to be a more jovial soul. Mmmm Perhaps…

**THE END**

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**Looking back even I admit, my title is a bit misleading. As thins turn out, not that many in the story have a happy ending here.**

**Then again, every story's ending, just another's beginning.**

**Now that you know how it ends, please review. Please, pretty please. :)**


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